Wes Brown admits Man Utd must improve against Liverpool in FA Cup
One of those matches was at Anfield in the Premier League against Manchester United. On Sunday, the two arch-rivals face each other again, this time in the FA Cup quarter-final.
While lightning rarely strikes twice, former United defender Wes Brown says "you never know" ahead of the upcoming clash.
“This was always my favourite game, it's just the way I was brought up," Brown tells Tribalfootball.com while acknowledging things might have shifted a bit.
“I know the younger lads would say Manchester City, which I completely understand. But it was more Liverpool in my day."
Legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was renowned for communicating to new players at Old Trafford just how important games against Liverpool were for the club and its supporters.
“Big Peter would probably shout it to you, to be fair," Brown says with a chuckle. “Most people understand the rivalry, it's two North West clubs that have done very well trophy-wise and have a similar background in history. It's only 20 minutes down the road and that's why the rivalry is so fierce."
Brown expects a good game and acknowledges that United will need to improve on their recent performances to trouble Liverpool.
“When Klopp came out saying he's leaving Liverpool at the end of this season, it could have gone either way, but you've seen how the players have properly taken it in. They are really playing for him at the moment. But listen, it's a game Manchester United have to step up in."
Speaking of stepping up, Harry Redknapp recently stated that not a single current Manchester United player would walk into the line-up under Sir Alex Ferguson. Wes Brown knows what it takes as he played over 200 times for the Scot.
“Alex Ferguson was there for many years and got the team playing how he wanted it to play. He also got the players in who he wanted. But we have got some very good young players there at the moment. I'm sure they would have been there under Sir Alex."
One player Brown has been impressed with this season is the development of Diogo Dalot.
“When Dalot arrived, you could see he was very good on the ball. But especially in the second half of the season, he's really come into it. I think he's quicker now - he's also started to defend very well. I don't think anyone ever questioned his ability going forward," says Brown.
“He was always good technically, on crosses and even shooting. He looks really focused at the moment. It was a position where there was a battle for a while between Wan-Bissaka and Dalot and they both stepped up, but Dalot seems to have stepped up in strides.
"It looks like he's becoming a real solid player. People are really struggling to dictate that left-hand side because he's pretty much doing everything perfect."
Erik ten Hag's tactics against Manchester City drew plenty of criticism, with many believing they were too defensive for a team like United. Brown, however, didn't expect much else.
“I always thought we were going to defend. I just think Manchester City are too good at the moment. I don't think anybody went into that game thinking we were going to batter City. The tactics pretty much worked, the first half went to plan, the second half didn't and City fully deserved the victory."
