Jose Mourinho risks Man Utd wrath by wading into the Liverpool bigger club debate

Jose Mourinho has managed Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham during his long managerial career, but still holds deep respect for Liverpool

Jose Mourinho has stuck the boot into former club Manchester United, by insisting Liverpool are bigger than them.

United and Liverpool have one of the most bitter rivalries in world football. Both claim to be bigger than the other. United and Liverpool have each won a joint record 20 English league titles.

But Liverpool have won 69 major trophies compared to United’s 68. While Liverpool have won the European Cup, now known as the Champions League, six times compared to United’s three.

Mourinho, who was sacked by United in 2018, has waded into the debate and insisted Liverpool are a level above their biggest rivals.

Mourinho, who is returning to Real Madrid for a second spell in charge, said: “I think this is the right time to ask a special question like this. Both clubs are incredible, with great history in football.

“But for me, Liverpool has to be the best club in England, for their history and culture into the Premier League, for the past and present years.

"What Liverpool has done in football compared with Manchester United, is beyond a level of what people think. When we talk about trophies in general, and trophies in the last 10 years.”

Despite managing one of Liverpool's rivals, Mourinho has never hid his admiration for Jurgen Klopp and his achievements at Liverpool, including the 4-3 comeback against Barcelona in the Champions League. In 2019, the Reds defeated Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield after losing the first-leg 3-0.

After that result, Mourinho said: "I didn’t expect it, I said impossible is nothing, I said if it’s possible, Anfield is one of the places to make the impossible be possible.

"But I have to say that for me, this remontada has one name – Jurgen. I think this is not about tactics, this is not about philosophy, this is about heart and soul, and a fantastic empathy he created with this group of players.

"They had the risk of finishing a fantastic season without anything to celebrate, and now they are one step from being European champions."

And Mourinho's respect for Liverpool was obvious to club legend Steven Gerrard, who wrote in his autobiography: “For me, the ideal situation would obviously have been for Mourinho to have managed Liverpool. He was linked with a move to Anfield a couple of times but it never materialised. I know I’m biased, but I think it would have been a perfect match.

“The Liverpool fans would have loved him and he would have known exactly how to turn that love into adoration. He always told me about his deep respect for our supporters. Jose would have had a fantastic time bringing huge success to Liverpool.”