In a clash of English football's two most successful clubs, Liverpool will host Manchester United in the first leg of a Europa League last 16 tie at Anfield on March 10. This is the first time the two traditional rivals will square off against each other in a European competition. However, there have been some compelling cup ties between the two over the last few decades. Here is our pick of the top five.
1977 FA Cup Final: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United
Manchester United prevented what would have been the first Treble in English football when it beat Liverpool in the FA Cup final of 1977. Liverpool won the European Cup that same week and had already put the League title in the bag so an FA Cup win would've seen it win an unprecedented Treble. Manchester United achieved that feat in 1999. A burst of goals in the early stages of the second half saw Stuart Pearson's opener for United cancelled out a minute later by Jimmy Case. But Jimmy Greenhoff's goal proved to be the decisive one as he deflected Lou Macari's shot over Ray Clemence in the Liverpool goal to give the Red Devils their fourth FA Cup trophy.
1983 League Cup Final: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United (a.e.t)
Liverpool gave legendary manager Bob Paisley a grand send-off by winning a trophy in his last major final at the club. Paisley is the most successful manager in the club's history having led it to 13 major honours during his time in charge. Normal Whiteside struck early for Manchester United but Alan Kennedy equalised in the second half to send the game into extra time. Ronnie Whelan popped up with the winner in the 98th minute to hand Liverpool its third successive League Cup title.
1999 FA Cup 4th Round: Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool
Manchester United produced a late show, typical of that season, to knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup after coming from behind. Michael Owen had given the visiting Reds a very early lead with a second minute header. United kept knocking at Liverpool's door all game long and it finally got its reward two minutes from time as Dwight Yorke tapped in from point blank range to equalise. The game looked to be heading for an Anfield replay but substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had other ideas. The Norwegian striker sent the Old Trafford faithful into raptures with a clinical finish following Paul Scholes's run into the box. United would go on to lift the FA Cup that season along with the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League to complete an unprecedented Treble.
2003 League Cup Final: Liverpool 2-0 Manchester United
The most successful team in the history of the League Cup added another trophy to its collection as goals from Steven Gerrard and Michael Owen helped Liverpool to a 2-0 win over its arch-rival Manchester United. Gerrard, who would be given the captain's armband next season, started proceedings with a long-range effort which beat United goalkeeper Fabian Barthez to give the Reds a half-time lead. Liverpool's Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek proved to be the hero as he was equal to everything United threw at him. Michael Owen put the game to bed with a cool finish to hand the Anfield club its seventh League Cup title.
2012 FA Cup 4th Round: Liverpool 2-1 Manchester United
In the most recent of the games on this list, Liverpool won a dramatic FA Cup fourth round tie with a late Dirk Kuyt goal knocking Manchester United out of the competition. The Luis Suarez-Patrice Evra racism row had cast a dark shadow over this game but this time both teams did their talking on the pitch. Defender Daniel Agger headed in the opener from Steven Gerrard's corner but South Korean midfielder Park Ji-Sung equalised for United just before half-time. Liverpool was the more offensive team in the second half and that approach paid dividends when Dirk Kuyt raced on to Andy Carroll's flick-on to slam the ball past David de Gea at his near post to shake Anfield to its foundations.
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