Unless Paddy McNair makes a surprise appearance, Saturday will be the first time in the fixture's history that neither club will name an academy graduate in its starting XI.
It was Sir Matt Busby who summed up Manchester United’s policy best. “If they’re good enough, they’re old enough,” said the legendary former manager. Sir Alex Ferguson followed that by giving the world the now legendary "Class of 92."
United as a club has rightly boasted long and loud about the club's tendency to blood youngsters from its youth academy and turn them into superstars.
Liverpool is much the same, with its supporters seemingly more pleased for Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher than for the rest of the squad put together when the Reds lifted the 2005 Champions League trophy.