Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes remonstrates with German referee Tobias Stieler after he was sent off for a foul on FC Porto's Nehuen Perez. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes remonstrates with German referee Tobias Stieler after he was sent off for a foul on FC Porto's Nehuen Perez. Picture: Miguel Riopa / AFP
Image: Miguel Riopa / AFP
Let’s get it out the way right at the start, most football fans are incredibly annoying. However, Manchester United fans take the cake when it comes to arrogant, boorish behaviour.
I write this as a Liverpool fan that had to endure a period of domination by United unlike anything seen before. I am of course talking about United under Alex Ferguson.
From 1993 to 2013, United won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two UEFA Champions League (UCL) crowns.
During the same period Liverpool won two FA Cups and one Champions League but most significantly, no Premier League titles.
In fact, it was 30 years between league titles for Liverpool when they finally broke their drought in the 2019/2020 season.
When Liverpool won the UCL in 2004/2005 in an incredible final against AC Milan, it was soured for me by United fans.
The first thing they did was point out Liverpool’s league position that season, which was a lowly fifth. Liverpool ended the season with 58 points, 37 points behind champions Chelsea.
What did Liverpool’s league form have to do with a final for the ages where they came back from 3-0 down at half-time to beat AC Milan on penalties?
The move by United fans to immediately discredit another side’s victory or achievement reveals more about those ‘Mancs’ than the target of their insult.
It’s always been about Liverpool being generally poor in the league, whenever they bag a big win or actually beat United.
Even Ferguson himself, though I respect his incredible achievements, I don’t feel the same about his character.
He was always arrogant, abrasive and thoroughly unpleasant after a United loss or a Liverpool win over his side. The temper on Ferguson was unmatched. If the leader of the biggest clubs in the world behaves like that, why should the fans be any different?
It just gives them a green light to behave as they wish. This was pretty much the case for years, even after ‘Fergie left and United began to experience a period of mediocrity their fans so richly deserved.
Since Ferguson left United in 2013, Liverpool have slowly worked their way back into a powerhouse of English and European football.
That’s been due in large part to Jurgen Klopp who was appointed as coach of Liverpool in 2015. Klopp too, has always been a prickly character and could on some days rival the temper of Ferguson.
However, as good as Liverpool have been over the last decade - it’s yielded just one league title while the ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City have been the dominant force in English football with their six Premier League crowns over the last seven seasons.
And while United certainly hate City, they probably hate Liverpool more as it would be seen as the lesser of two evils to see the men in blue reach great heights.
Of course United are at a new low at the moment, having just fired Erik ten Hag earlier this year and appointed new coach Ruben Amorim to take the team forward. But I personally wouldn’t mind United another decade or two without a league title so they can know what it feels like so the fans can work on their empathy.
I also don’t want to be misunderstood, Liverpool fans, myself included, are no saints. But I do firmly believe the United fans are the world champions of boorish football supporters.
** Michael Sherman is a digital journalist at IOL Sport.
** The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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