Liverpool 3-3 Manchester United… What a game.
Probably the best Premier League match that involved two of English football’s greatest rivals, and it was the ultimate game of two halves.
This night 22 year ago, Liverpool and Manchester United played out an absolute classic at Anfield. United raced into a shock 3-0 lead inside 24 minutes, but Liverpool rallied and a late equalizer from Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock ensured that the spoils were evenly shared.
Going into the match on January 4, 1994, Fergie’s men were top of the table, having lost just once all season, compared to a talented Liverpool side managed by Graeme Souness, who were very much under-performing and sitting ninth in the league.
However, both teams came away from the contest looking like equals.
United took an early lead through a Steve Bruce header, and their advantage was doubled via a superb Ryan Giggs lob over the under-pressure Bruce Grobbelaar (who, at the time, was accused of match-fixing) in the Liverpool goal.
The visitors made it three when Dennis Irwin curled an absolutely brilliant free-kick into the top corner, giving the ‘keeper no chance. But, what ever the Corkman did, it lit a spark in the hosts.
The much-maligned Nigel Clough pulled one back immediately, before pouncing on an uncharacteristic Roy Keane error to leave just a goal between both sides.
That all happened in the first half. It was incredible.
In the 79th minute, ‘Razor’, usually more famous for his off-field antics, smashed a superb header passed the helpless Peter Schmeichel to tie the contest at 3-3.
Even taking away the six goals, this was one of the best Premier League matches ever, thanks to the scintillating atmosphere, free-flowing football, aggressive tackles and the blast-from-the-past commentary stylings of Andy Gray and Martin Tyler.
To put it simply, the match had it all.
Both sides meet at Anfield on Sunday week (January 17) and each manager – especially Louis van Gaal – could do a lot worse than watching this match back again ahead of the latest showdown between two of English football’s greats.
For the rest of us, let’s relive this classic right now, because it was some match…
https://youtu.be/MxCx1oDEoZs
Clip via YouTube/silentalarmactiv8
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