Liverpool vs. Man United is a rivalry for the ages but looks like a mismatch now

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Liverpool vs. Manchester United used to be English soccer's fiercest rivalry. Sunday's showdown at Anfield pits two teams going in opposite directions.

Liverpool, top of the Premier League and the Champions League, has its sights on equalling United 's record 20 Premier League titles and more. Liverpool has lost to United just once in seven years in the Premier League, and most recently won 3-0 at Old Trafford in September.

United is closer to the relegation zone than the top in another calamitous campaign which has seen the departure of a manager, a sporting director and the exile of one of its leading players.

The gap between Liverpool and United is widening to the point where one is in contention for a quadruple of trophies and the other is talking about top flight survival.

How have English soccer’s two most successful teams ended up on such differing paths?

United has been in alarming decline since winning a record 20th title in Alex Ferguson's final season as manager in 2013. It hasn't come close to winning another since his retirement. Ruben Amorim is the sixth permanent manager hired in the last 11-plus years.

David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag all failed to deliver consistent success and the upheaval from so much managerial change has repeatedly set back United as the club has lurched from one direction to another.

Amorim has quickly realized the size of the job after six defeats in his last eight games. This week he admitted he could be in a relegation fight.

“It is a possibility," he said. "We have to be clear with our fans.”

While United has made a mess of trying to replace a managerial great, Liverpool has made it look easy.

Arne Slot took on the unenviable task of filling the void left by Jürgen Klopp at the end of last season and has driven the team to new levels.

Klopp won a full set of trophies at Anfield and was denied much more success in the Premier League than just the 2020 title only by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Slot has Liverpool leading the Premier League by six points with a game in hand, the Champions League by three points, and through to the semifinals of the English League Cup.

Perhaps he has been fortunate to take over when City has gone into freefall but Liverpool's 14 wins from 18 games in the league would be title-challenging form in any season.

Billions have been spent at United yet there have been more costly errors than transfer successes.

Superstar signings such as Angel di Maria, Alexis Sanchez, Paul Pogba, Casemiro and Jadon Sancho have proved to be big disappointments. From the last transfer window, signees such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt have struggled.

Amorim is likely to have to sell in January if he wants to bring more players in and Marcus Rashford, recently dropped from the team, could be his best chance of raising funds.

Conversely, Liverpool has been one of the savviest operators in the transfer market over the past decade. When it has spent big, it has generally spent well, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson proving pillars of its trophy haul. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson were relative bargains.

Under Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the American conglomerate that also owns the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool became a major force in England and Europe again and ended a 30-year title drought in the Premier League.

The hiring of Klopp was pivotal to that but so was Michael Edwards, the sporting director who was integral to so many transfer successes. He left in 2022 but is back as FSG chief executive of football and helped to guide the transition to Slot.

United's American owner, the Glazer family, has faced regular fan protests since its leveraged buyout of the club in 2005.

The minority investment by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe last year sparked optimism. He assumed control of the club's soccer operations but that hasn't gone to plan so far.

Ten Hag was fired months after signing a contract extension and sporting director Dan Ashworth departed after less than six months. The signings in Ratcliffe's first summer transfer window also look questionable with United 14th in the standings and just seven points above the relegation zone.

Liverpool is enjoying an outstanding campaign with big issues to be resolved.

Salah, Van Dijk and Trent Alexander Arnold are out of contract after this season. Salah and Van Dijk are in their 30s and in dispute is the length of contract Liverpool is prepared to offer them. Alexander Arnold, meanwhile, is reportedly a target for Real Madrid.

Amorim's immediate concern is how to turn around United's form. Long term, his squad looks ill-suited to his preferred system.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes gestures in frustration during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring his side's fifth goal during the English Premier League soccer match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim pulls on his ear after the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Liverpool's coach Arne Slot celebrates his team 3-1 victory over Leicester City at the end of a English Premier League soccer match at the Anfield stadium in Liverpool, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Nicole Kidman gave a long-awaited dedication to her late mother Friday night at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

“I feel my momma right now. This is for you, momma,” Kidman said onstage in tears. The Australian actor and producer’s mother died last year shortly after Kidman arrived at the Venice Film Festival to promote “Babygirl."

“I didn’t get to do it at the Venice Film Festival," the actor said. "Thank you for giving me the chance to say this is for my mom. My whole career has been for my mom and dad.”

Kidman's “Scarpetta” co-star and friend Jamie Lee Curtis presented her with the International Star Award during the 36th annual International Film Awards at the festival in Palm Springs, California.

The intimate gala kicked off Hollywood’s whirlwind award season, honoring some of the film industry’s most anticipated award contenders.

Kidman was among notable A-listers including Adrien Brody, Zoe Saldaña, Isabella Rossellini and Angelina Jolie, who was presented with the Desert Palm Achievement Award-Actress by her godmother, acclaimed actor Jacqueline Bisset.

Jolie, who portrays opera singer Maria Callas in the Netflix biopic “Maria,” is nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture.

“I’m all right today because when I walk off of this stage, I am more myself because of you, Zahara, and your brothers and sisters,” the Academy Award-winning actor said to her daughter while reflecting on Callas’ difficult life. Jolie's speech came days after finalizing a divorce settlement with Brad Pitt that reached over eight years.

The night was full of onstage reflection as recipients and presenters gave long, heartfelt speeches at the non-televised event.

Colman Domingo, who was presented with the Spotlight Award by good friend Demi Moore, reflected on art’s impact on him as a child and its power to transform lives. The speech was a nod to his recent film, “Sing Sing,” which tells the story of incarcerated men who find purpose while acting in a theater group.

“I found art when I really needed it to be a parachute to save my life,” Domingo said. “Art saves lives. It saved mine. It will save yours.”

While receiving the Chairman Award, Timothée Chalamet said he feels “clear-sighted” about his career and credits music icon Bob Dylan for indirectly providing him with the perspective he has to work as an actor out of love for the art form.

Chalamet stars as Dylan in “A Complete Unknown” and spent more than five years preparing for his transformation into the folk musician.

“A wise man once said, ‘They can hurt your feelings if they boo you, they can also kill you with kindness.’ I took my anxiety about tonight as a good sign that I’m actually focused on what really matters. The work and the opportunity to do the work again," Chalamet said.

Intermixed with the sentiment, stars also took the time to poke fun at themselves and their peers.

Jennifer Coolidge presented Ariana Grande with the Rising Star award, noting the “Wicked” actor and pop star was already a household name.

“Hasn’t Ariana already risen?” Coolidge said.

Grande, who endearingly almost dropped the heavy award onstage, said she expected to receive “the withering star” award at age 31 and playfully gave thanks to her “good friends Botox and Juvederm.”

Chalamet, who presented director Denis Villeneuve with the Visionary award alongside Amy Adams, reminded the director that he had worked more production days with the director than actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

“Perhaps if I could paint a throughline for Denis' movies is that they just keep getting bigger and better. Apologies to Jake Gyllenhaal once more, who was in the earlier, smaller movies,” Chalamet said.

Kieran Culkin cheekily pointed out he was receiving a Breakthrough Award-Actor for his work in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain” after working in the industry for over 30 years.

“It’s weird to be here, to have been doing this for over 36 years. Perfect time to get my breakthrough award,” Culkin said.

Mikey Madison received the Breakthrough Award-Actress for her work in Sean Baker’s “Anora,” while Adrien Brody received the Desert Palm Achievement Award-Actor.

The ensemble cast from “Conclave” took home the Ensemble Performance Award, with director Edward Berger praising unique performances by each of his actors in the religious drama.

“Emilia Pérez” earned the event's Vanguard Award. Actor Alan Cumming lauded the film and said his immediate reaction was, “What the actual (expletive) is going on here?’ I stayed utterly mesmerized until the credits.”

The stars won’t spend too much time in the California desert before traveling two hours west to Los Angeles in time for the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.

Timothee Chalamet poses with the chairman's award for "A Complete Unknown" in the press room during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Jacqueline Bisset, left, and Angelina Jolie, winner of the desert palm achievement award, actress for "Maria", pose in the press room during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Nicole Kidman accepts the international star award for "Babygirl" during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Nicole Kidman accepts the international star award for "Babygirl" during the 36th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in Palm Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)