It isn't often an individual plays for both Manchester United and Liverpool, but there have been some notable players to have done this over the years.
The two most successful teams in English football sit just 32 miles apart, with a rivalry spanning over 120 years between Manchester United and Liverpool.
In this article, we take a look at a rare breed, the players who have played for Liverpool and Manchester United.
Best players who played for Man Utd and Liverpool
Paul Ince
Having been with West Ham since the age of 14, Paul Ince made a controversial move to Manchester in September 1989 for a £1million fee.
The midfielder had a picture taken in a United shirt before completing his move to Old Trafford and that led to anger among the majority of the Hammers fans.
Ince was an instant success on the pitch though, winning the FA Cup in his first season (1989-90) and then playing an integral role in United collecting their first league title in 26 years (1992-93).
During a six-year period, the Londoner made over 200 appearances for the Red Devils and collected six major trophies – two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup.
Ince left Old Trafford in the summer of 1995 to join Italian giants Inter Milan, where he quickly became a fan favourite with his all-action style.
After two seasons at the San Siro, it was announced that the 30-year-old would be returning to the Premier League to join Liverpool.
Due to his links with United, there was scepticism among some Liverpool fans but Ince helped his connection with the fans by scoring equalisers against both Everton and United.
The England star made 65 appearances for the Reds before leaving to join Middlesbrough in the summer of 1999.
Michael Owen
Having come through the academy at Liverpool, Michael Owen was seen as a star of the future from a very young age.
The striker made his first-team debut at the age of just 17, coming off the bench to score against Wimbledon in May 1997.
He established himself as a first-team regular the following season and won the Premier League Golden Boot, as well as being named PFA Young Player of the Year.
Owen won an FA Cup, two League Cups and a UEFA Cup (now the Europa League) during his time at Anfield, as well as being awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2001.
The England international then sealed a high-profile move to Real Madrid in 2004, where he made just 36 appearances before leaving for Newcastle in 2005.
In 2009, following the Magpies relegation from the top flight and despite struggling with injury problems, Owen was offered the chance by Sir Alex Ferguson to sign for Man Utd.
The forward made the move and won a Premier League and League Cup during his three-season stint at Old Trafford.
Peter Beardsley
After shining at Carlisle and Canadian team Vancouver Whitecaps, Peter Beardsley headed to Old Trafford after being signed by then-boss Ron Atkinson.
Despite his undoubted ability, things didn’t work out at United and he made just one League Cup appearance before joining Newcastle in September 1983.
Four years after leaving Old Trafford, Beardsley was signed by their major rivals Liverpool, as part of a squad rebuild by Kenny Dalglish.
The forward was an inspirational addition to the Reds camp and helped Dalglish’s men win two Division One titles and an FA Cup during his four-year stay at Anfield.
In 1991, Beardsley made more headlines when joining another exclusive club, becoming one of an illustrious group to play for both Everton and Liverpool.
Phil Chisnall
Born in Manchester back in 1942, Phil Chisnall came through the ranks at Man Utd having joined two months after the Munich air disaster.
The forward made just 35 first-team appearances over a five-year period, being badly hampered by a serious knee injury.
In 1964, it was announced that Chisnall would be joining Liverpool and he played a role in the Reds winning the First Division title that season.
He left Merseyside in 1967 and later joined Southend and Stockport, having played under legendary managers Matt Busby and Bill Shankley.
Fred Hopkin
Yorkshireman Fred Hopkin started his career at Darlington before joining Man Utd in 1919, making his debut at Derby in the August of that year.
He scored 11 goals in 74 appearances for the Red Devils, including a strike in a 3-3 Manchester Derby draw with City in 1919.
The outside-left departed Old Trafford in 1921 and embarked on a move to Liverpool, under then manager David Ashworth.
Hopkin went on to make over 330 appearances for the Reds and was a big part of the squad that won back-to-back league titles in 1921-22 and 1922-23.
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