Dethroning Liverpool

So here we are, only one point away from achieving our ultimate aim. We still have the Champions League final to worry about but it’s the Premier League I really craved for. Historically winning this year’s PL means a lot. We get to surpass our archrivals and thus win England’s bragging rights. Domestically, Liverpool’s team didn’t hold a candle to ours for the past two decades but they were still blabbering about themselves being the best on the land because of their league titles. Those bragging rights will soon be passed over to the red side of Manchester.

Up until a few years ago I didn’t really understand the rivalry between United and the scousers. In fact back in 2005 when Liverpool met Milan in Istanbul, I sided with the scousers(shameful, I know, but I was just 14) who, admittedly, completed a remarkable comeback. I was happy for them mainly because they had just defeated an Italian side and anybody who knows me, knows my repugnance towards any team hailing from my homeland’s (Malta) neighbouring country. I honestly never regarded Liverpool as being our main enemies up to that point. In fact, I always thought that Arsenal and the newly Russian financed powerhouse were our main rivals.

"...and you can print that"

It was only a couple of seasons after that when I really realised the hatred between the two clubs. Mind you, Liverpool is a great club unlike the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea who have got no history, and that’s what makes our rivalry even stronger. I remember every time United lost the league or a cup final, I had to bear the smirk on the face of some local Liverpool fans as if they had just won the Treble(the real one, not the plastic one). I remember last year, when they lost to Chelsea and virtually ended our title bid, these ‘proud’ scousers littered Facebook with joyous comments. I have good social relationships with local Liverpool fans(I prefer Liverpool fans to ABUs to be honest… at least they side with a team – although most Liverpool fans turn into ABUs by December, the month when their title bid gets killed every year), but when it comes to football their jealousy and bitterness is almost laughable. I guess next season they’ll do everything within their power to try and knock us off OUR perch but, given the might possessed by Arsenal, Chelsea and - I hate to say it but here it goes - Manchester City  they’ll probably struggle to get into the top 4 again (although I’d rather see Liverpool in Europe instead of City). We might have dethroned Liverpool a couple of seasons ago with our 18^th title but we need the 19^th title to be crowned as kings of England and I’m pretty confident that we’ll get the one point needed.

In less than 24 hours time we will be cheering our boys in red while they create history. We are truly on the verge of something special, something SIR Alex Ferguson prophesized twenty odd years ago. COME ON UNITED!