Manchester United could not have picked a worse time to play Liverpool.
Ruben Amorim’s Red Devils are in horrendous form while their bitter rivals fly high at the top of the Premier League table and close in on their 20th domestic title.
Just one win in their last six, including United losing to against Newcastle United last time out, sees the 20-time league winners sit dangerously close to the drop zone with 22 points.
And although the unthinkable is still very unlikely to happen, Amorim has refused to rule out the ‘possibility’ of a relegation battle.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 8 |  FulhamFulham | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 25 | 3 | 29 |
| 9 |  Aston VillaAston Villa | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 31 | -3 | 29 |
| 10 |  BrightonBrighton | 19 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 27 |
| 11 |  TottenhamTottenham | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 41 | 28 | 13 | 24 |
| 12 |  BrentfordBrentford | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 33 | 35 | -2 | 24 |
| 13 |  West HamWest Ham | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 23 | 35 | -12 | 23 |
| 14 |  Man UtdManchester United | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 26 | -5 | 22 |
| 15 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 19 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 20 | 27 | -7 | 20 |
| 16 |  EvertonEverton | 18 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 17 |
| 17 |  WolvesWolves | 19 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 31 | 42 | -11 | 16 |
| 18 |  IpswichIpswich | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 33 | -15 | 15 |
| 19 |  LeicesterLeicester | 19 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 42 | -20 | 14 |
| 20 |  SouthamptonSouthampton | 19 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 39 | -27 | 6 |
Key:
Position 1 – 4 : Champions LeaguePosition 5 : UEFA Europa League
Position 18 – 20 : Relegation
And up next is a tricky away tie — a game between Liverpool and United that Michael Oliver will referee.
Sunday’s match at Anfield will be the 244th meeting between the two sides, and Liverpool, whose only blemish this season has been a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, will be licking their lips at the prospect of inflicting more misery onto their arch-rivals.
Ahead of this weekend’s blockbuster, we have rolled back the years and delved into the archives to remind fans who the 10 players were who crossed the divide and played for both teams during their careers.
10. Tom Chorlton – Liverpool (1904-1912), Manchester United (1912-1915)
Tom Chorlton was an English-born defender and became one of the first-ever players to transfer between Liverpool and Manchester United.
He played 121 matches for Liverpool and scored eight goals before joining Manchester United in 1912 where he featured just four times before leaving and signing for Stalybridge Celtic.
9. John Sheldon – Manchester United (1910-1913), Liverpool (1913-1921)
John Sheldon was an English-born winger who signed for Manchester United in 1910. He made 26 appearances and scored one goal before joining Liverpool in 1913.
Sheldon’s time at Liverpool was more of a success. During his tenure, he featured in 147 matches and scored 20 goals. He was part of the Liverpool squad that reached the FA Cup final in 1914 but unfortunately lost to Burnley.
8. Tom Miller – Liverpool (1912-1920), Manchester United (1920-1921)
Scottish-born wide-man Tom Miller was one of the first players to adopt the ‘inside forward’ role.
He was signed by Liverpool from Hamilton Academical in February 1912 for just £400.
Part of the same Liverpool squad that also included Sheldon, Miller scored 56 goals in 146 appearances. Although his career was interrupted by World War I, he did return to the club after the war before joining Manchester United in 1920 for a then-record fee of £20,000.
Interestingly, Miller’s switch between Liverpool and Manchester United was embroiled in controversy. He had been involved in the “Good Friday Scandal” of 1915, where he, along with a host of other players from both clubs, was found guilty of match-fixing. His ban was later lifted due to his service in the war though.
Miller scored eight goals in his only season for United before returning to Scotland to play for Heart of Midlothian.
7. Fred Hopkin – Manchester United (1919-1921), Liverpool (1921-1929)
English-born Fred Hopkin joined Manchester United after the First World War in 1919 where he scored 11 goals in 74 games.
His contract was hugely controversial after United were fined £350 for illegally paying him above the maximum wage and offering him a percentage of his transfer fee. He left the Red Devils in May 1921 to join Liverpool for £2,800.
During his decade at Liverpool, Hopkin established himself as a key member of the squad by scoring 12 goals.
He left Liverpool in 1931 and returned to Darlington, where he began his career, to end his playing days.
6. Ted Savage – Liverpool (1931-1937), Manchester United (1937-1938)
English-born Ted Savage played as a winger for Liverpool after joining from Lincoln City in May 1931 for £750 — his only two goals for the Reds came during his debut against Grimsby Town.
During his six years with the club, Savage played 105 matches but struggled to become a regular first-team player. His best seasons were 1934-35 and 1935-36, where he played in 54 of 84 matches. He left and joined Manchester United in 1937.
The winger’s time at United was brief due to his failure of having a significant impact at the club. Leaving just one year after signing and becoming more of a journeyman-type player, Savage went on to enjoy stints with the likes of Wrexham, Carlisle, West Ham, Chelsea and Fulham before eventually retiring in the 1940s.
5. Allenby Chilton – Liverpool (1938-1939), Manchester United (1939-1955)
English-born Allenby Chilton played as a centre-back for Liverpool. He was registered as an amateur in 1938, and after failing to make a senior competitive appearance, moved on in search of first-team opportunities.
He joined Manchester United in 1939, and, although his time with the club was significantly disrupted due to World War II, Chilton helped the club win the 1948 FA Cup and 1951-52 League Championship before being named as the Red Devils’ captain for the 1953-54 season.
He left United in 1955 to take up a player-manager role at Grimsby Town.
4. Phil Chisnall – Manchester United (1959-1964), Liverpool (1964-1967)
English-born Phil Chisnall played as a wide-forward and joined Manchester United as an apprentice in April 1958, shortly after the Munich air disaster. He signed a professional contract in November 1959.
Although he suffered a bad knee injury during the early stages of his career, Chisnall was able to overcome the odds and make his first-team debut in 1961 against Everton. He scored 10 goals for United and earned a call-up to represent England at Under-23 level.
He joined Liverpool in 1964 and went on to score two goals in nine appearances. His controversial transfer was made possible by the close relationship between managers Matt Busby and Bill Shankly.
3. Peter Beardsley – Manchester United (1982-1983), Liverpool (1987-1991)
Although Peter Beardsley is best known for his spells at Newcastle United and Liverpool, the English-born attacker did also enjoy a brief stint at Manchester United. He was signed by United in August 1982 from Vancouver Whitecaps.
Beardsley made only one first-team appearance for Manchester United — a League Cup match against Bournemouth in September 1982, which ended in a 2-0 win. He was not a regular in the first team and mostly featured for the reserves.
He left the Red Devils in January 1983 and moved back to his hometown club, Newcastle United, where he went on to become a club legend.
Beardsley’s transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool in 1987 for £1.9 million was a then-British record fee. During his time at Anfield, Beardsley went on to win multiple pieces of silverware and scored 59 goals in 175 matches.
2. Paul Ince – Manchester United (1989-1995), Liverpool (1997-1999)
One of the most famous players to play for both Manchester United and Liverpool is English midfielder Paul Ince.
Ince joined Manchester United from West Ham United in 1989 for a £1 million fee — a move that was highly controversial due to his premature celebration in a Red Devils shirt before the deal was made official.
The midfielder, who made 265 appearances and scored 28 goals, was part of the United side that won the inaugural Premier League titles in 1992-93 and 1993-94. He also contributed to two FA Cup wins (1990, 1994), one League Cup (1992), and one European Cup Winners’ Cup (1991).
He famously left Old Trafford in 1995 and joined Inter Milan after falling out with then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Ince returned to England in 1997 and signed for Liverpool, and although his two years at Anfield was not as successful as his time at United, he was made the Reds’ captain before going on to score 17 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions.
He left Liverpool in 1999 and moved to Middlesbrough following a falling out with then-manager Gerard Houllier.
1. Michael Owen – Liverpool (1996-2004), Manchester United (2009-2012)
Undoubtedly the most famous player to have turned out for both Manchester United and Liverpool is former England international and Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen.
The striker joined Liverpool’s youth academy aged 11 before progressing through the ranks and making his senior debut aged 17.
Owen became an instant fan favourite after he scored on his debut against Wimbledon. He then went on to play an important role in the side’s treble-winning season in 2000-01 where he lifted the FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup.
During his eight years at Anfield, Owen played 297 matches and scored an impressive 158 goals. His contributions saw him crowned the Premier League’s Golden Boot winner in the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons. He left Merseyside and joined Real Madrid in 2004 after failing to extend his contract.
Returning to England and signing for Newcastle United after just one year in Spain, Owen endured a tough spell at St. James’ Park and joined Manchester United as a free agent in 2009.
Although the forward’s time at Old Trafford spanned just three years, he did enjoy some memorable moments including an injury-time 4-3 winning goal against Manchester City during the 2009-10 season.
Owen’s contract was not renewed after the 2011-12 season. He retired from playing following a brief stint at Stoke City.
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