At the end of the 19th century, the completion of the 58-kilometer-long Manchester Ship Canal marked the beginning of the bitter feud between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.
It allowed ships traveling to and from Manchester to completely bypass all of Liverpool's lucrative docks, not only significantly reducing shipping costs for Manchester but also dealing a heavy economic blow to Liverpool.
The people of Liverpool saw the actions of the Mancunians as a direct insult to their livelihood and expressed their dissatisfaction through aggressive words and actions.
The Mancunians retaliated without mercy.
And so, the two cities became embroiled in a bitter feud over shipping and industry.
The century-long grudge not only remained unresolved but grew increasingly intense over time.
Football, as a highly competitive sport, naturally became the new battleground for the people of Liverpool and Manchester.
People gave it a fitting name: The North West Derby!
Whenever Liverpool faces Manchester United, it attracts massive global attention.
The matches thus become filled with unbearable tension, often seeing more than a handful of yellow and red cards before the first half even ends.
For example, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, in the final North West Derby of his career, was sent off with a straight red card just 43 seconds after coming on as a substitute.
Some might say he is a true Liverpudlian, raised and taught to hate Manchester United with every fiber of his being.
But in reality, even players not from the local area are quickly affected by the poisonous atmosphere, leading to heightened emotions and even a complete loss of control.
Take Luis Suárez, who had since joined Barcelona.
He once insulted Patrice Evra with racist language during a tense match and the two later clashed in front of tens of thousands of fans.
This is not just a game.
This is .... war!
....
Two days before the highly anticipated North West Derby, thousands of people flooded into Liverpool, turning the port town into a bustling hub of excitement.
Liverpool fans had long prepared massive banners, posters, drums, and other paraphernalia.
For years, Liverpool fans had suffered.
Although Liverpool had historically dominated English football, the club had declined after the Miracle of Istanbul in 2005.
They gradually entered a turbulent period, never again reaching the pinnacle of Europe and failing to ever lay their hands on the modern Premier League title.
Liverpool fans could only sit in dimly lit pubs, listening to the familiar tunes of The Beatles, occasionally reminiscing about the golden memories of Istanbul.
But in the end, it was nothing more than meaningless sighs.
Later, Brendan Rodgers even stripped Liverpool of its most essential quality: its fighting spirit.
That was, until October 8, 2015, when a German named Jürgen Klopp became the new master of Anfield.
The Beatles left a rock 'n' roll imprint on Liverpool, and Klopp left a heavy metal imprint.
Relentless running, fearless tackles, and rapid attacking advances are the hallmarks of his heavy metal football.
Liverpool fans finally saw hope in Klopp!
But Manchester United's performance last season had pained them deeply.
After all, the worst thing in the world is watching your arch-rivals thrive while you struggle to rebuild.
The Premier League Title and the Champions League... Liverpool fans had yearned for these for countless years, only to see Manchester United claim them both under Jose Mourinho.
They could have accepted it if it were Manchester City winning, but why did it have to be Manchester United?!
So, they were absolutely determined to defeat Manchester United today, reclaim second place in the league standings, and drag down that damned Manchester City at the top!
Major media outlets also hyped up the North West Derby in advance, building excitement for the annual spectacle.
"The Most Crucial Match of the Premier League's First Half! The Annual Feast: The North West Derby!!"
"After 17 rounds of the Premier League, Liverpool has 15 wins and 1 draw, while Manchester United has 16 wins and 1 loss, with only a 2-point gap between the two teams!"
"Centuries of rivalry, endless grudges!"
"How will the newly crowned Golden Boy perform at Anfield? Stay tuned!"
...
Ling and his teammates had endured an 11-hour flight back from the UAE after the FIFA Club World Cup.
They forced themselves to stay awake to prevent disrupting their body clocks and affecting their performance in the crucial match two days later.
Upon returning to his apartment in Manchester, Jeremy could no longer hold on and collapsed into bed, falling asleep instantly.
The next day, Carrington Training Base was surrounded by media.
After completing his recovery training, Jeremy was stopped by reporters as soon as he drove his car out of the base gates.
"Jeremy, what are your thoughts on tomorrow's match at Anfield?" A reporter shoved a microphone toward the car window.
It was a generic question, and Ling naturally had only one answer.
"Of course, to win, and to win convincingly!"
"Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is hailed by fans and pundits as the 'strongest active center-back.' Since the start of this season, no one has managed to dribble past him in a 1v1 situation. Are you confident?" The reporter followed up eagerly.
"I believe no one in football can be called the 'strongest' because it's a team sport," Ling answered earnestly. "
If a player is called the strongest, it just means they haven't met someone stronger yet."
The reporters outside the car immediately erupted in a frenzy.
What did Ling mean by this? It was essentially him saying, "I am stronger than you!"
It wasn't until the security personnel from the training base dispersed the reporters that Ling rolled up his window, stepped on the gas, and sped away.
As for whether his remarks were considered too arrogant? No one would care, no matter how exaggerated they were, because tomorrow's match was the North West Derby!
On the contrary, if he had spoken modestly or blandly, fans would have thought he was already conceding defeat.
...
On the other side of the divide, Liverpool players also gave fiery interviews.
"Whether last season or this season, Manchester United's tactics show no desire to pursue victory. They always sit back and play defensive counterattack!" a Liverpool player scoffed.
"Jeremy Ling? He's an excellent forward and has achieved many honors, but against Liverpool at Anfield, I think he's not gonna do anything!" another added.
"The strongest center-back? I don't want to talk about myself," Virgil van Dijk's remarks were equally provocative and dismissive.
At the official pre-match press conferences, the tension between the managers was palpable.
Facing the reporters' questions, Klopp's responses were explosive.
"We'll give everything we have to win this match," Klopp declared, his eyes burning with intensity.
"I have a million reasons to win the North West Derby, and one of them is that I don't want to sit here after the game, looking at your faces, answering stupid questions about losing. I believe my players will help me win!"
"Tactics? Same as always—High Press. Whether in attack or defense, we're much stronger than last season," Klopp added. "Jeremy Ling? Van Dijk will keep him in check. It won't be easy, but I believe he can do it."
The reporters in the room exchanged surprised glances.
According to Klopp's usual habits, he would lavish praise on his opponents before a big match, trying to build up some good karma and relieve pressure.
For example, last season, he called Mourinho the most successful manager in the world and said Manchester United's players were among the best in the Premier League.
Why the sudden, aggressive change today?
...
The adjacent press room at Carrington was equally bustling.
"Although saying this might sound like making excuses, the truth is Manchester United is indeed at a physical disadvantage," Jose Mourinho stated dryly. "The Club World Cup matches and travel have left the players extremely fatigued. We might struggle to withstand the physical onslaught of Liverpool's heavy metal attack for 90 minutes."
"So my tactics will be relatively conservative, still primarily focused on defensive counterattacks," Mourinho admitted freely.
He then narrowed his eyes. "As for Van Dijk's comments? His tone is full of arrogance. I think he needs to remind himself that he comes from a club that hasn't won a League Title in the past 27 years."
Mourinho absolutely does not like others criticizing his tactics.
The press interviews were filled with bitter tension, making the fans even more excited for tonight's match!