Regardless of where the two clubs stand in the current table, choosing between Liverpool and Manchester United is like trying to pick your favourite child – an impossible decision for any player without personal ties to either club hoping to make their mark in the Premier League.
Both are the most successful clubs in English football, with legacies carved in gold and silver, yet deciding which path to take is no walk in the park. It’s a bit like betting on a two-horse race with no clear favourite – both have the pedigree, but the future is as unpredictable as the next match. And while United have had their fair share of problems in recent years, to be part of a club with the prestige of the Red Devils is a dream for many players still.
El Hadji Diouf thought he had earned a dream move the other way to Liverpool after starring at the 2002 World Cup – but what unfolded was more like a nightmare. The Senegalese forward caught the eye of football’s elite by leading his nation to an improbable quarter-final, with a man-of-the-match display against France sealing his reputation as a rising star. Impressed, Reds manager Gerard Houllier shelled out £10 million to bring Diouf from Lens to Anfield, where he was soon joined by international teammate Salif Diao.
However, by the time his turbulent stint with Liverpool came to an end, the relationship was marked by mutual animosity. Diouf’s time at the club left such a foul taste that he openly admitted he wished he had signed for their fierce rivals just 30 miles away instead.
El Hadji Diouf Wishes He Joined Man United
Given the forward’s lamentable performances, Reds’ fans certainly wished he had too
A brace on his Anfield debut offered a flicker of hope, but it turned out to be a flash in the pan. Diouf managed just six goals in 80 outings, leaving fans with more raised eyebrows than cheers during his controversial spell on Merseyside. Looking back on his career, the Senegalese forward admitted he’d gladly turn back the clock and sign for Liverpool’s sworn enemies, Manchester United.
In 2018, when RMC Sport asked El Hadji Diouf which club he most regretted playing for, his response was as blunt as it was revealing. “I would say Liverpool,” Diouf admitted, as per the Mirror. He continued:
“Because if I had the chance again, I would go to Manchester United or Barcelona. At the time, they wanted me also.”
After he found the net on his debut, the now 44-year-old didn’t score another league goal until March and endured a complete goal drought in the Premier League the following season. Coupled with his poor disciplinary record—racking up 13 yellow cards and a red in his final year – his relationship with the Liverpool faithful soured rapidly.
The most infamous chapter of Diouf’s Liverpool tenure came during a UEFA Cup clash with Celtic in March 2003, where he spat at an opposition fan, an act that led to a police interview, a two-game suspension, and a fine of two weeks’ wages. By the time Gérard Houllier left Liverpool in 2004, he openly admitted that the £10 million spent on Diouf had been one of his biggest managerial missteps, while it is common knowledge that the striker is one of the worst transfers the Reds have ever made.
Had Diouf chosen Old Trafford as his destination instead of Anfield, he would have won a Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson. But his misdemeanour and a goal-scoring record that made hitting a barn door seem ambitious forced him to recalibrate his career ambitions. He eventually moved to Bolton Wanderers, where he spent four years trying to rebuild his reputation, before reuniting with Sam Allardyce at Blackburn Rovers.