‘Man Utd vs Liverpool Is The Biggest Club Game In The World’ – Sir Alex Hypes Up The Big Clash

Alan Duffy

15th, October 2011

29 Comments

By Alan Duffy


Ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday, Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed that the fixture is the biggest (club) game in the world, even eclipsing Spain’s “El Clasico” and the M4 derby between Reading and Swindon.

Speaking of the Madrid vs Barca game, Fergie said: “You know the difference – Barcelona’s one end of the country, Madrid the other. The fans don’t travel.”

“The only game that can rival United-Liverpool is Rangers-Celtic,” he continued. “I have always considered it to be the game of the season in English football.”

These words will no doubt have Sky Sports, the kings of superlatives (who are screening the game), frothing at the mouth with excitement, while the presence of Kop idol Kenny Dalglish will add even more spice to the rivalry.

However, is this fixture really the biggest club game in the world? What are your thoughts?

Posted in Liverpool, Man Utd

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29 Comments

  1. sambwfc says:

    The biggest game of the season is taking place on Saturday… Bolton vs Wigan!

  2. nicko says:

    FYI, Swindon Oxford is bigger ;)

  3. RyanSSL says:

    It may be the biggest game in England but I don’t think it is the biggest game in the world. Real-Barca is probably the biggest in the world with Messi and Ronaldo despite the distance between Madrid and Barcelona.

  4. Montesquieu says:

    “The only game that can rival United-Liverpool is Rangers-Celtic,” he continued. “I have always considered it to be the game of the season in English football.”

    I reckon Ferguson has dementia. Rangers and Celtic are in the Scottish league after all…

  5. Mark says:

    Maybe when Liverpool used to be good… No game that involves Charlie Adam is ‘the biggest ever’.

  6. stevononline says:

    Swansea City vs Cardiff City is the biggest game in the football calendar!!

  7. Miguel - NYC says:

    1. Barca VS Madrid
    2. Man Utd vs Liverpool
    3. Boca vs River

    As Mark said, maybe when Liverpool used to be good…and they haven’t won an EPL title in how long?

    Also, not one of the 23 players that were shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon D’or/Golden Ball award came from either Liverpool or United (Rooney had an off year and England sucked).

    http://www.fifa.com/ballondor/media/newsid=1323915/index.html

  8. Titus says:

    Nonsense… ManU-Liverpool cannot be the biggest club game in the world when one team is, and has been for decades, clearly superior to the other one. I am 27 years old and really started following football when I was around 8 years old. In the entire time I’ve been watching the game, Manchester United has done better than Liverpool in the league every year without exception, and it’s not even like Liverpool were ever a close 2nd behind United as far as I can recall. The only success Liverpool has had during this entire period is 1 Champions League and 1 UEFA Cup and neither involved beating United. Now contrast that with real rivalries like Milan derby, Boca-River, Madrid-Barca. Heck, I’ve been to Cairo, Nairobi, Johannesburg etc where the local top league soccer derbies were genuine competitive rivalries

  9. shak says:

    i, dont like u titus, i just dont

  10. Stopping the BS says:

    Source?

    The distance argument makes sense.

  11. tom says:

    @Miguel – NYC: typical yank. you think you need the best players in the world to make it the best match in the world.

    @Titus: liverpool were second by 4 points in 08-09…

  12. Scottie Johnson says:

    I agree with Miguel. it is the second, Maybe third

  13. Kopite says:

    @Titus: Your argument has many errors. Since you have been interested in football Liverpool has also won 3 FA Cups and 3 League Cups (2003 final v Man United) and finished above Man United in 2001/03 season. Man United may have been England’s dominant team in the 90s and 00s but Liverpool were the dominant team in the 70s and 80s (Man United won no league titles in this period and where even relegated). Don’t forget that Liverpool and Man United are England’s most successful teams and this contributes to the rivary.

  14. A says:

    it is the most watched game.. world cup – then manutd vs liverpool.
    more than champions league final

  15. Irish Mighty Cawk says:

    some of you are thick as shit…
    all your lot logic is ”er it doesn’t have Messi or Ronaldo, how could it possibly be a massive game?”

    United vs Pool and the old firm have nothing to do with the league table, the quality of players, it’s rivalry.. with HUGE fan bases who despise each other, always going to be a massive game world wide.

  16. festus says:

    yeah its big game n belief me whoever makes his choice of players well then gets the results fergie cant lets down

  17. festus says:

    Titus as matter of correction dont make judgment out of self feelings but by virtue of performance then it speaks out THA MAN UNITED IS THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD

  18. Jimbo says:

    I’d say so. More watched than el classico for sure. Bigger history, distance, rivalry between fans… yeah, easy

  19. oliver says:

    I think its the biggest game in the world in context of how many people will be watching it. Asia has a huge fan base of liverpool and man united fans, and the great rivalry between the teams will attract a lot of viewers.

  20. Jeremy says:

    Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer chiefs at soccer city, 90 000 fans all with vuvuzela’s with a 5 day build up locally = EPIC! i have been to Barca-Madrid Liverpool vs United, Arsenal(the team) vs Tottenham, City vs United and Rangers vs Celtic at Ibrox, but let me tell you I went back to SA after the world cup and my friend handed me a ticket, saying you won’t know much but it’s sure as hell you will get you moneys worth. haha amazing Atmosphere game was even delayed by 30 mins due to overcrowding. INSANE best footi game I have ever been to :)

  21. Terry Sheddingham says:

    What he said about the distance is important, as well as the fact that the El Classico is a joke nowadays.

  22. Zola says:

    What about Lazio – Roma?

  23. pororo says:

    definitely. was it just a year or 2 ago when the liverpool – united match attracted 300 million viewers worldwide? that’ll give the world cup a run for its money. am based in singapore and can tell u pool and united are MASSIVE here. la liga will nvr have the following that the prem does, and that is what makes it the biggest clash, the incredible history, the players, the quality of EVERY game, the fact that despite liverpool struggling over the last 20 yrs or so, they’re still able to magically step it up a level when they play united.

  24. Tinez says:

    Man U vs Liverpool isn’t even the biggest game in the north west. Ferguson said that Leeds Man U was a meaner derby than Liverpool Man U, so he’s already forgotten what he said 2 weeks ago.

  25. Hi guys, Does anyone have the link to the Daily mail article with the graphic about Man U vs. Liverpool being the most watched soccer event in the world.

    Thanks,

    David

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  27. Anonymous says:

    LFC vs United is the bigest club game, it is enthralling. Elclassic is now boring with all the violent conduct & acting by players ,time wasting, without exhilarating stuff of football.

  28. YancBO says:

    German Derby – Schalke 04 vs B. Dortmund !

  29. Eddie_wilcocks says:

    500million minimum watch utd liverpool games – each game. broadcast to 200 odd countries. barca madrid is broadcast to around 50 and watched by hardly anyone in comparison

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