2001 Charity Shield Preview
Despite not appearing in the Charity Shield since 1992, Liverpool are no strangers to the competition. Liverpool have made 18 appearances in the match which started with a 1-0 defeat in 1922 by the great Huddersfield team of that era, to the 4-3 loss in 1992 against Leeds United, the last winners of the old first division Championship.
The last time Liverpool won the shield was in 1990 when, after a 1-1 draw, both clubs were awarded the shield for 6 months.The last time the Reds won the trophy outright was a year earlier, when they defeated Arsenal, the side who had dramatically snatched the title at Anfield in the last minute of the 88-89 season just months earlier.
In total, Liverpool have won the shield 7 times, and have held the shield for half a season on another 6 occasions, losing the other 6 finals.
Thankfully for the Merseysiders, the game will not be played at Wembley this year and a glance at the head to head between the teams shows why!
Liverpool v Man United at Wembley:
| 1977 | Man United | 2-1 | Liverpool | FA Cup |
| 1977 | Man United | 0-0 | Liverpool | Charity Shield |
| 1983 | Liverpool | 2-1 | Man United | League Cup |
| 1983 | Man United | 2-0 | Liverpool | Charity Shield |
| 1990 | Man United | 1-1 | Liverpool | Charity Shield |
| 1996 | Man United | 1-0 | Liverpool | FA Cup |
The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff once again replaces the Twin Towers of North London and Liverpool will be hoping to make it a hat-trick of wins at the venue following 2 cup triumphs last season in the Welsh capital. Man United on the other hand will be hoping that they can end a run of 3 successive defeats in the season's curtain raiser, after losses against Arsenal (0-3 in 1998, 1-2 in 1999) and Chelsea (0-2 in 2000) and also prevent a 3rd succesive defeat to their biggest rivals following a pair of league defeats last season.
The game is certain to be a highly competitive, and it will surely prove to be an interesting encounter between the two teams widely regarded as the championship favourites. United may well lose their 4th Charity Shield match in a row. But it will be the results of 38 league games by next May that the clubs will be judged on. That is the ultimate challenge facing Gerard Houllier's men.