• Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1, FA Cup

final, May 1977

Having already defended their league title and with a European Cup final to come, Liverpool took on United at Wembley bidding to become the first English side ever to secure the Treble. United had been beaten by Southa-mpton in the previous year’s final but a shot from Lou Macari that deflected off Jimmy Greenhoff’s chest earned them a 2-1 win that denied Liverpool their place in history.

• Liverpool 3 Manchester United 3, Premier League, January 1994

Man U had ended a 26-year wait for the league title in the 1992-1993 season and they travelled to Anfield the following January with 12-point lead. They roared to a 3-0 lead within 24 minutes thanks to strikes from Steve Bruce, Ryan Giggs and Denis Irwin but Liverpool responded with a Nigel Clough brace before Neil Ruddock headed home a dramatic equaliser.

• Manchester United 2 Liverpool 2, Premier League, October 1995

A match marked by the return to action of United’s talismanic striker Eric Cantona, after his eight-month ban for assaulting an opposition fan during a game at Crystal Palace. Within two minutes he had teed up Nicky Butt for the game’s opener and he had the last laugh with a 71st-minute penalty after Robbie Fowler had threatened to steal his thunder with a finely taken double.

• Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1, FA Cup fourth round, January 1999

Almost 22 years after their FA Cup final encounter, United were the team pushing for honours on three fronts. Michael Owen — who is now with United — headed Liverpool into a third-minute lead in front of the Stretford End and Alex Ferguson’s men looked destined for an early exit from the competition.

With two minutes to play Dwight Yorke produced a close-range equaliser and in injury time Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blasted home the winner, before repeating the trick against Bayern Munich in the European Cup final to make United England’s first ever Treble winners.

• Manchester United 1 Liverpool 4, Premier League, March 2009

United went into the last meeting between the sides seven points clear of Liverpool, having conceded just five goals at home. But the myth of their defensive invulnerability was exploded against Rafael Benitez’s visitors, with Fernando Torres inspiring a

rout that thrust Liverpool firmly back into the

title picture. — Agencies