Sir Alex Ferguson took 27 years to ‘knock Liverpool off their f***ing perch’… Slot could undo that in his first season
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SIR ALEX FERGUSON famously claimed his biggest challenge as Manchester United manager was “knocking Liverpool off their f****** perch”. When the great Scot left Old Trafford after clinching one last Premier League title in 2013, it was mission f****** accomplished.
![[Legendary Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson took pride in 'knocking Liverpool off their perch']](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/12-05-2013-manchester-united-818418079.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
But what Fergie achieved during the course of a glorious 27-year reign, new Kop manager Arne Slot is threatening to undo in his debut season. The crown United won 12 years ago was their 20th, putting them two clear of Liverpool at the top of the list of English champions.
![[However, the Red Devils are now far from the threatening club they once were]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/casemiro-manchester-united-looks-dejected-960635663.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Jurgen Klopp brought the Merseysiders back to within one of United by clinching the crown in 2019-20. So if Slot can convert his team’s current lead at the top of the table into a trophy lift in May, he will put them level with their North-West rivals.
![[Arne Slot has carried Liverpool to the top of the Prem table in his first season]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/london-stadium-liverpool-manager-arne-960477433.jpg?strip=all&w=781)
And given Liverpool’s superior European Cup and Champions League record — with six wins to United’s three — the Anfield faithful would once more have the numbers to back their claim to be England’s greatest club. The one crumb of comfort for United fans in recent years is the other lot down the M62 have failed to take advantage of United’s decline in the same way Fergie filled his boots during Liverpool’s barren years.
Many Reds supporters would argue their team fell off that perch rather than being pushed by United. Poor recruitment and a failure to exploit the commercial opportunities of the Premier League breakaway cost the Kop dear as much as United’s quality under Fergie.
![[United have suffered some embarrassing defeats against Liverpool in recent years]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/scoreboard-shows-final-score-7-800792874.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
