“I betrayed Manchester United because they rejected me”

Leaving Manchester United just to don the red colors of Liverpool is considered by those in football to be a cardinal sin in which very few have been guilty of committing in recent history, a fact Paul Ince, who was once the Red Devils’ midfield dictator agrees upon.

However, one thing is to know a sin is a sin, another is to go into it guilty of knowing that you are committing the sin. Paul Ince, early in the 1990s earned the ire of the Manchester United fan base when he turned about round to switch allegiance to the Red Devils’ bitter rivals in the North West; the infamous Reds of Merseyside.

Now opening up on what prompted the move down the dark alley, Paul Ince revealed it was about him proving a point to his former club, Manchester United who had the opportunity of resigning him but rejected the offer.

The former England international, renowned for his tenure at Manchester United between 1989 and 1995, shared his perspective on the contentious move to Liverpool.

Ince highlighted that his return to England from Inter Milan sparked interest from both Manchester United and Liverpool, yet it was United’s decision not to exercise their first refusal option that steered him towards Anfield.

Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Paul Ince articulated in his interview with TalkSport;

“When I came back from Inter Milan, Man United had first refusal on me. I could have easily gone back to Manchester United – they turned down that decision to take me back.”

Despite the opportunity to potentially return to his former club, Ince’s path diverged towards Liverpool due to United’s stance.

He clarified that while he held affection for both North West clubs, a direct switch between the fierce rivals would have been inconceivable, affirming,

“I’d have never have gone to Liverpool straight from Manchester United or from Liverpool straight to Manchester United. That is a cardinal sin.”

In explaining his transition to Anfield, Ince acknowledged the familiarity of the North West, having previously spent significant time at Manchester United. Familiarity with players like Jamie Redknapp, Robbie Fowler, and David James facilitated his integration into Liverpool’s setup.

In addition to shedding light on his transfer decisions, Ince reminisced about a heated exchange with legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson following a game against Norwich City during the 1992/93 season.

Paul Ince recounted a post-match confrontation where Ferguson passionately critiqued his on-field decision-making, emphasizing the importance of maintaining standards, despite Ince’s perception of having had a good game against title contenders.

The former player not only moved to Manchester United’s arch rivals, but also went on to captain the team and even ruined the Red Devils’ chance at getting a win at Anfield when he netted an equalizer for Liverpool in a 3-3 score line.