The Anfield stadium is like a box inside, with fans close, and hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop is incredible, according to Diego Forlan. Alex Livesey / Getty Images
The Anfield stadium is like a box inside, with fans close, and hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop is incredible, according to Diego Forlan. Alex Livesey / Getty Images
The Anfield stadium is like a box inside, with fans close, and hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop is incredible, according to Diego Forlan. Alex Livesey / Getty Images
The Anfield stadium is like a box inside, with fans close, and hearing You’ll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop is incredible, according to Diego

Nothing beats Liverpool hosting Manchester United at the great Anfield stadium


  • English
  • Arabic

I have played at football’s finest stadiums including the Bernabeu, San Siro, Camp Nou and Old Trafford.

They are among the best and the biggest, but when I’m asked about the great venues I’ve played in around the world, I also mention one of the smaller ones, Anfield.

I’ll never forget my first trip there in 2002. The coach taking the Manchester United team came off the motorway after the 40-minute trip from Manchester.

It’s a journey the players will make before Sunday’s Premier League game. Usually, we stayed in hotels close to the away grounds, but not before Liverpool, when we stayed in Manchester as it’s so close.

It’s probably not a great idea for Manchester United players to stay in Liverpool either.

Also from Diego Forlan:

When we arrived in Liverpool, we were met by police motorcycles and we were soon being escorted along grey streets with small terraced houses. I couldn’t believe that a world famous football ground would be surrounded by these little houses. I’d soon learn that there wasn’t one football ground there, but two.

Fans realised who we were and Liverpool’s fans weren’t exactly pleased to see us. Some made signals.

Of the United players, the Manchester boys like Gary Neville were the ones living the rivalry most.

Nev made it clear that Liverpool were our main rivals, that we had to win, that a draw wouldn’t be acceptable.

He was the one who got the most abuse from Liverpool fans, just like Jamie Carragher and Steve Gerrard – two scousers – got the same from United fans.

The rivalry was the biggest in England because Manchester City weren’t the team that they are now.

Chelsea and Arsenal would have great teams, but United and Liverpool were the two biggest clubs, the great red rivals from north-west England.

We passed Everton’s Goodison Park home and then saw Anfield. It reminded me of Independiente and Racing in Buenos Aires, two big neighbours side by side and wearing the same colours more or less.

I had heard of Liverpool as a kid in Uruguay and watched them on Channel 5. Players such as Ian Rush, John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish and, in later years, I remember Patrick Berger.

It was always exciting watching the Premier League games because you didn’t know what was going to happen, the games were less predictable than in other countries. It’s the same today.

We have a Liverpool FC here in Montevideo, too. They’re a small club in the first division, a good club with a solid reputation and a great pitch.

They took the name Liverpool in 1919 because there were links between the ports of Montevideo and Liverpool – where the coal came from by sea.

They wear blue and black, though. At the main market in Montevideo, there is a sign which shows the steel was made by a company from Liverpool.

As we got close to Anfield and crowds filled the streets, our coach turned through metal gates with You'll Never Walk Alone above them.

We disembarked to boos, then went into the small dressing rooms. On the way to the pitch, I saw Liverpool players try to touch the ‘This is Anfield’ sign. None of us did.

The stadium was like a box inside, with fans close. Hearing You'll Never Walk Alone and seeing all the supporters waving their scarves and flags on the Kop was incredible, but I was there to win a football match and not listen to the singing.

Of course the fans don’t like United players, but the Kop applauded our goalkeeper and I remember fans laughing when I went flying over an advertising hoarding.

It is a difficult ground to play at because the pitch is small and that restricts the space which forwards need. It feels even smaller because the stands are so close.

Another reason that I mention Anfield when people ask me about great football grounds is because I always did well there.

I scored two goals in my first game there as United beat Liverpool 2-1. People still ask me about that day and I still hear United fans singing about it when I watch the team on television.

I also started in the game a year later. I think Alex Ferguson wanted two more goals from me.

We did win 2-1 again, but this time with Ryan Giggs scoring two. He felt the rivalry because he was a Manchester boy, but he was quieter about it than Gary Neville.

I also went back to Anfield with Atletico Madrid and scored the goal which knocked them out of the 2010 Europa League and put us into the final.

After the game, the Liverpool fans in the main stand applauded me. That was a big gesture as I’d not only played for United, but I’d just ended their European dream in the semi-final.

United play at Anfield on Sunday and I’ll watch it again, one of the great games in world football in which I was fortunate to play.

They have both had problems this seasons and it’s rare that both of these clubs are out of the top four when they meet.

Neither can really afford to lose. It should make for a great game.

sports@thenational.ae

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Tenet

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh 

Rating: 5/5

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Nancy Ajram

(In2Musica)

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

About Takalam

Date started: early 2020

Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: HealthTech and wellness

Number of staff: 4

Funding to date: Bootstrapped

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

While you're here
The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

How to vote in the UAE

1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/

2) Take it to the US Embassy

3) Deadline is October 15

4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll

Know your Camel lingo

The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home

Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless

Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers

Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s

Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Honeymoonish
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The biog

Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician

Hometown: Ghazala, Syria

Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978

Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter

Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi

Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.

Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo

Favourite food: fresh fish

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

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Scoreline

Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17

Jebel Ali Dragons 20

Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson

Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3

Producer: JAR Films

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi

Rating: 3 star

Sting & Shaggy

44/876

(Interscope)

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

MATCH INFO

Leeds United 0

Brighton 1 (Maupay 17')

Man of the match: Ben White (Brighton)