Why Anfield match could end up meaning so much

Growing up in the 1980s, as the Merseysiders dominated at home and abroad, it was always difficult to take. Yet United could still at least match our greatest rivals on occasion, coming from behind with 10 men to draw 3-3 in 1988 extended a run of eight Division One games unbeaten on Liverpool's home patch. Preceding this, though, was a run of seven straight losses so, even if the FA Cup had provided great joy in the 1970s, I am probably thankful I am too young to recall the games then.

However, there was always a sense that the bigger picture was that our foes had the better team or, if that was impossible to admit to, certainly the superior consistency. There were glimpses of this changing…