Liverpool have six players who Man Utd failed to sign and the latest left Erik ten Hag 'frustrated'

It's a rivalry as big as they come in football.

Even those who aren't interested in the sport know the needle between Liverpool and Manchester United. They are England's most successful clubs who always have the highest of ambitions.

But since the foundation of the Premier League in 1992, they have scarcely been direct competitors in terms of titles. United dominated for the best part of 20 years under Sir Alex Ferguson, claiming 13 gongs. But the departure of the Scot, coupled with the arrival of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, shifted the balance.

The Reds claimed their first league title in 30 years in 2020 while they've finished a point behind Manchester City on two occasions. Klopp leaves Anfield at the end of this campaign and could well add another crown to the trophy cabinet as they battle it out with City and Arsenal.

Not only that but Liverpool are challenging for four pieces of silverware, having already gleaned the Carabao Cup and moved into the Europa League quarter-finals.

United have designs on stopping the Reds' quadruple ambitions when they meet in the FA Cup last eight at Old Trafford on Sunday. But in truth, not too many are giving the Red Devils a chance despite their home advantage. United are enduring a lacklustre campaign, sitting just sixth in the Premier League and face the stark reality of missing out on Champions League qualification. That's after crashing out of Europe's elite competition in the group stage.

At this moment in time, the balance of power between the two great foes is tilted firmly in Liverpool's favour. There was a time when it might have been unfathomable to some that a player could pick the Merseyside outfit over the Greater Manchester club.

Yet the Reds will head into enemy territory with six players who were coveted by their great foes at one point or another. How Erik ten Hag must wish he had some of them in his United ranks.

Virgil van Dijk has been arguably the most transformative signing during Klopp's tenure. Some baulked at the £75 million price tag that the Reds paid in January 2018. However, Liverpool have won seven major trophies in that period with van Dijk the bedrock of Klopp's outfit - and now captain.

Before his serious knee injury, most concurred he was the best centre-back in the world. Based on his form this season, he may well have regained that tag.

It was reported by the Daily Mail that United were keen on prising van Dijk from Southampton but they quickly realised that a move would be rejected as the Dutchman had his heart set on a move to Anfield.

Certainly, Cody Gakpo appeared that he was Old Trafford bound. The versatile forward enjoyed a prolific first half of the 2022-23 season with PSV Eindhoven as he recorded 13 goals and 17 in all competitions.

Gakpo was a player that Ten Hag would have been well aware of from his time in the Eredivisie. The 24-year-old admitted that he thought he was going to sign for United in the summer ahead of the season. When the news broke before the January 2023 transfer window opened that Liverpool had landed Gakpo, it came as a shock to plenty.

According to ESPN, ten Hag was left frustrated but United could not match Liverpool's financial package. Gakpo has bagged a total of 20 goals in 67 games for Liverpool and is the club's joint-top appearance-maker this term.

In addition, there are four fledgling talents in the Reds' squad who also were wanted by the Red Devils. Conor Bradley has enjoyed a magnificent breakthrough campaign and has deputised impeccably in the injury absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold. He's now considered an out-and-out senior player.

Bradley moved to Merseyside from Northern Ireland outfit Dungannon Swifts as a 16-year-old. The right-back recently confessed he went on trial with United not because he was a boyhood Kopite but because it felt like a 'family club'.

In fairness, Jarell Quansah has been with Liverpool since of eight and always had his heart set on Liverpool. But hailing from Warrington - in between the two largest north-west cities - he also trained with United and Manchester City as a junior. In an interview with The Athletic, Quansah, another revelling in a fine breakthrough season having made 24 appearances, admitted he enjoyed the training provided by the Reds better.

The centre-back said: “I went around different places to see what was out there: I did City, United, Wigan, Bolton… all of them,” he says. “Back then, I was just playing and enjoying what I was doing. Any time I could play football, I was happy. My parents thought having more options would be better.

“I just remember Liverpool offering the best training. That was where I enjoyed my football the most and that’s why I stayed.”

Bobby Clark bagged his maiden senior goal in the 6-1 Europa League last-16 second-leg routing of Sparta Prague on Thursday. The midfielder joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in the summer of 2021 for a fee that could reach £1.5 million. The Athletic reports that the Reds 'went the extra mile' to persuade Clark to pick Anfield over United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

And it was this time one year ago when it felt like a seismic blow when Stefan Bajcetic was forced to undergo adductor surgery and would miss the rest of the season. The midfielder was a beacon of light in a lacklustre 2022-23 for Liverpool despite being only aged 18. Bajcetic has struggled with a growing-related injury this season which has limited him to two matches. But the reason the Reds are being so cautious is that they believe he's very much a player part of the club's future.

On New Year's Eve of 2020, Liverpool beat the Brexit deadline that stopped clubs from signing European players below the age of 18. Bajcetic arrived from Celta Vigo but only after Liverpool got wind that United were keen, having previously cooled interest.

“Some scouts from Liverpool saw him and contacted us. But Stefan was still a child, not even 16 years old. He couldn’t go anywhere,” his father Srdan told El Mundo.

“At first, Liverpool told us that they couldn’t do it and then United called us, saying that they could. Liverpool found out and contacted us again to sign him.”