2026-05-03 09:31:51

Danny Murphy is constantly reminded that he scored three winning goals for Liverpool against Manchester United.

The former midfielder scored the decisive goal as the Reds won three times in four Premier League seasons at Old Trafford during the early 2000s and says that his contributions in one of the biggest fixtures in English football are remembered around the globe.

Murphy told The Telegraph: “No matter where you are in the world, there is not a week that goes by without someone mentioning scoring against United.

“I was once on a rowing boat in India getting a tour from a 70-year-old local bloke and he said he loved the United goal. I asked him, ‘Which one?'”

The Match of the Day pundit added: “Those big Liverpool moments are the proudest of my career. They came during a period when we really started getting on Fergie’s nerves.

“It is easy to forget where we were as a club at the time, rebuilding to get back to winning trophies. United were the yardstick. Liverpool had won two cups in 10 seasons since and struggled to get results at places like Old Trafford.

“We hadn’t won there in 10 years. That team changed all that.”

Murphy explained that his first winner against United in 2000 – when he outsmarted Red Devils goalkeeper Fabian Barthez with a free-kick – is his favourite goal in the fixture.

He recalled: “That was the goal which elevated me as a footballer. Obviously if you play for Liverpool you already become famous pretty much overnight, but it was something else entirely after scoring that one. I’ve scored better goals – even better ones against United – but there was something about that first.

“It sunk in straight after the game. We were on the coach heading home and my phone was going like it never had before. That night I ended up in a bar in Chester – the Oaklands in Hoole – with all my mates. Thankfully there were no videos on the phones back then!”

Murphy added: “In my wildest dreams I never thought it would happen again, let alone three times. In the grand scheme of things, Liverpool Football Club has done much bigger and better things than win those games. But from a personal perspective, it brought a recognition I still appreciate today.”

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