The two most successful clubs in England meet in Europe for the first time tonight but which side is bigger?
By Melissa Reddy & Kris Voakes
With 80 major honours between them there is no doubt Liverpool and Manchester United are the two biggest clubs in English football.
Despite both sides enduring trickier times of late, Jurgen Klopp and Louis van Gaal will both feel this season's UEFA Europa League represents the perfect opportunity to return to winning silverware.
But which one is the bigger club? As the two giants of English football meet in Europe for the first time in history, Melissa Reddy and Kris Voakes, Goal's 
By Melissa Reddy
In an exclusive interview with Goal, Liverpool legend John Barnes detailed how on England duty, Bryan Robson and other Manchester United superstars would sit around trying to uncover the secrets to Liverpool’s success. Despite the Red Devils having the bigger names in the 70s and 80s, the Merseysiders had the better team. It was Liverpool’s success and putting a stop to it that was the biggest driving force of Alex Ferguson’s tenure. He was intent on knocking the club on the other side of the M62 “off their f***ing perch”, and while the Reds largely self imploded, it stung to watch United run past them in the 90s and the years since.
United’s most successful manager drew inspiration from Liverpool’s greatest: Ferguson used to listen to tapes of Bill Shankly and encouraged his players to do the same when he was in charge at Aberdeen. He was enthralled by the passion and eloquence of the Reds boss and dined on his teachings.
Often, it is easy to reduce the influence of teams to trophies - Liverpool still lead United in terms of major honours - but it would be irresponsible to ignore how much the Reds’ success motivated that of their rivals. Neither club is currently where they want to be and would’ve expected their first-ever European meeting to come in the Champions League rather than Thursday night football, but Liverpool and United are still global giants of the game.
The two-legged, last-16 Europa League tie will be headline news worldwide, and is the biggest fixture of Jurgen Klopp’s spell in England thus far. It could also spell the end of Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford. There's much more to play for than progress in the competition.
May the best team win.
| 'Liverpool have fallen away as a relevant force' |
By Kris Voakes
It used to be the case that actually winning games of football counted for something when comparisons were drawn between clubs. The so-called ‘bragging rights’ went to the team with the most recent victory, and rival fans would have to wait until the next clash came around for the opportunity to have the next, if not last, laugh.
Such is the way in modern football, arguments are stretched to breaking point by supporters seeking solace in a variety of areas, with Liverpool and Manchester United providing perfect examples. Neither is really producing winning football right now, but the squabbles continue apace.
For decades, Liverpool dominated the British footballing landscape leaving United in their considerable shadow, but when the balance of power shifted in the early 1990s, the Merseysiders fell back on the knowledge of their 18 league titles and the European glory which followed.
After 20 years of United rule under Sir Alex Ferguson, Liverpool’s fans were left with the crumb of comfort of having won more continental crowns than their arch-enemies, albeit only one of them coming in the last three decades, but for the most part United had torn the history book to pieces.
Both clubs are currently attempting to find their feet in new circumstances, but while the Red Devils are in just the third season of a new era Liverpool are 26 years removed from their last league title and continue to fall short. Their failures came during a footballing boom period upon which United have capitalised to become a modern behemoth.
Neither club is at the height of success right now, but United have recorded more league championship wins, and – tellingly – the more recent spell of dominance. The financial might, the massive changes at Old Trafford and the virtual queues of people wanting to attend games which wraps around the globe are testament to just how much United have grown at a time when Liverpool have fallen away as a relevant force.
- Goal