Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says he's always got along well with Liverpool fans. Ferguson, conscious of the highly-charged emotions enveloping this afternoon's fixture, stepped up to the plate with a personal contribution to the campaign forreconciliation.

He said: "When I go to Liverpool to watch a game, the fans are brilliant to me. There's a bit of joking, that kind of thing, but not a bit of serious abuse. Never.

"They are football people. I relish going there. These are great games. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It is different to going to Leeds!"