Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson broke a promise to Dimitar Berbatov after the Bulgarian agreed to join the Red Devils from Tottenham in 2008. The Scot told Berbatov that he could have a week off if he put pen-to-paper on a deal at Old Trafford but then threw the ex-striker straight into the starting line-up when United travelled to bitter rivals Liverpool days later. Ferguson ended up falling on his sword, however, as his team were defeated 2-1.
“Liverpool was the team we were trying to surpass on league titles when I got to Old Trafford,” Berbatov told the United website. “They had 18, we had 17.
“Sir Alex was with me when we were finalising the transfer and it was so last minute, so worrying that it was happening so late, that he said: ‘Berba, I know it’s stressful what you’re going through, but when we finish this I promise you can have a week’s break so you can get yourself together.’”
“As soon as I signed, it was: ‘Okay, get ready. Next game is Liverpool.’ In my head I’m like, ‘where’s my one-week break?’ But that was all fine. As the game got closer, I could feel the excitement, the nerves, the tension.”
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Berbatov also admitted that playing in a derby match between United and Liverpool finally allowed him to understand just how fierce the rivalry between the two clubs are.
“You start to get more and more knowledge about the rivalry and the history between the two clubs,” the 42-year-old added. “The expectation of winning the game, of performing – it’s important. This is all building up until on the day of the game I stepped out on the pitch for the first time – and it was something new.”
United took the lead in the encounter as Berbatov teed up Carlos Tevez just three minutes into the showdown. But Liverpool turned the game around as Wes Brown scored an own goal in the first half before Ryan Babel clinched victory for the hosts late on.
But the result ultimately had no say on the Premier League title race as United won 28 of their matches that season to finish top of the league with 90 points. Liverpool finished runners-up with 86 points.
The Red Devils went on to win another two titles under Ferguson to move clear of the Merseysiders on 20 top-flight trophies. Liverpool won their 19th top-flight title in 2020 when they lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time.
