THERE are just eight teams still alive in this season’s English FA Cup, and by the time this weekend is over, either Manchester United or Liverpool will exit the world’s oldest football competition.

These two clubs – separated by just 50 km in the North West of England and supported by millions of fans around the world – collide at Old Trafford on Sunday (11.30 pm kickoff, Singapore time) with a place in the semi-finals at stake. Collectively, they have won 103 major trophies and this number could rise further in a couple of months’ time. 

Liverpool won the Carabao Cup in February and are looking to add three more trophies to their haul in what is Jurgen Klopp’s final season at the helm.

The German is looking to do what no Liverpool manager has done in more than a century – win an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford. The last time Liverpool did so was 103 years ago in January 1921. The Reds warmed up for this game in style, defeating Sparta Prague 6-1 on Thursday in the Europa League.

Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, meanwhile, have endured a rough campaign as they are sixth in the Premier League, eight points adrift of the top four. The FA Cup represents the Red Devils’ last opportunity to win a piece of silverware.

Ahead of this colossal clash, BT Weekend looks back at four memorable FA Cup matches between these two bitter rivals in the last 25 years.

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Man United 3-2 Liverpool (January 2021, fourth round)

Played inside an empty Old Trafford due to the pandemic, Bruno Fernandes stamped his mark on this match by netting a glorious free kick to seal a dramatic win.

It was Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah who opened the scoring in the 16th minute as he lobbed the ball over Dean Henderson. The Red Devils fought back as Mason Greenwood equalised eight minutes later with a low drive into the bottom corner.

Soon after half-time, Marcus Rashford gave the home side the lead after an assist from Greenwood. Not to be outdone, Salah soon grabbed his second of the match just before the hour mark.

Salah had his chance to complete his hat-trick but he wasted it by shooting straight at Henderson. That miss proved costly as Fernandes, a second-half substitute, curled in a 78th minute free kick that left Alisson grasping at thin air.

Liverpool 2-1 Man United (January 2012, fourth round)

United’s “reward” for eliminating their city rivals Manchester City in the previous round was a trip to Anfield to play Liverpool.

The build-up to this game was intense, given how the last meeting between the two sides three months prior saw an altercation involving Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and United’s Patrice Evra. Suarez was slapped with an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra. Angered by the decision, the Anfield faithful jeered and cackled every time Evra touched the ball in this FA Cup fixture.

Liverpool took the lead when Daniel Agger netted in the 21st minute, but Park Ji-sung levelled the score just before the interval. Just when it seemed destined a replay would be needed, Liverpool’s Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt bundled the ball home with two minutes left.

Liverpool 1-0 Man United (February 2006, fifth round)

This was Liverpool’s first FA Cup win over the Red Devils in 85 years, and it was one to savour as the home side avenged the previous month’s defeat at Old Trafford when Rio Ferdinand scored a last-minute winner.

Liverpool, managed by Rafa Benitez at the time, celebrated wildly when Peter Crouch headed in the ball from a Steve Finnan cross in the 19th minute.

United’s day went from bad to worse as substitute Alan Smith, sent on by Alex Ferguson to rescue the tie, broke his leg and dislocated his ankle in the closing minutes as he tried to block a free kick by John Arne Riise. The Englishman was stretchered off to a warm ovation by both sets of fans.

Man United 2-1 Liverpool (January 1999, fourth round)

This was the season when Ferguson’s all-conquering United won the treble, and they had to navigate many obstacles along the way, including this tricky game against Liverpool in the FA Cup. 

There were just two minutes on the clock when Michael Owen headed in the first goal to send the 8,000 fans in the away stand into raptures.

United threw everything including the kitchen sink at their opponents, but Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool withstood the onslaught. United performed the ultimate smash-and-grab when Dwight Yorke scored in the 88th minute with a close-range tap-in.

Deep into injury time, substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer latched on to a pass from Paul Scholes and smashed the ball with his left foot past a despairing David James.