Few clubs got under the skin of Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson more than Liverpool during his illustrious 26-year reign.
Who could forget the Red Devils' legend's infamous vow to "knock Liverpool off their f****** perch" in 2002? Ferguson made clear that the Anfield-based outfit were enemy number one for as long as he was at the helm at Old Trafford.
With that in mind, it comes as no real surprise that Ferguson actually refused to even talk to one Liverpool legend for more than two decades after he just so happened to overhear a joke that was made at the Scotsman's expense.
Gary McAllister bagged a treble while plying his trade at Liverpool and played vital roles in both their League Cup and FA Cup triumphs in 2001. However, it comes as a shock that the incident that stuck out in Ferguson's mind stemmed from McAllister's time at Leeds.
The fellow Scot spent just over half a decade at Elland Road and helped Leeds lift the last top flight league title in 1991-92 before the inception of the Premier League.
The day that saw Leeds secure the title had McAllister's side beat Sheffield United 3-2 in the earlier kick-off, before Liverpool beat United 2-0 in the penultimate game of the campaign.
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Immediately after toppling the Blades, McAllister went to the house of team-mate Lee Chapman to watch United face-off with Liverpool alongside Eric Cantona, David Batty and a television crew.
With Liverpool having beaten the Red Devils to ensure Leeds' title triumph, wild celebrations swiftly ensued in Chapman's home among the trio of Leeds players, all in full view of the television cameras.
One comment made by McAllister that was caught by the television crew would put a swift end to any chance of a decent relationship with Ferguson for the next 20 years.
The former Leeds and Liverpool man recalled the awkward incident back in 2017 while speaking in association with Sport & Fitness Middle East.
"We all went back to Chappy’s house after the game in Sheffield to watch Man U play Liverpool at Anfield.
"Because I’d done some TV work, I was tuned in to the director at Anfield so I could hear the director and all his comments, talking to the presenter, talking to the cameramen. I could hear everything which was going on in the studio.
"Liverpool win 2-0 and Leeds United win the league, we’re p****d. After the game, we’re watching the pictures coming across and the interviews after the game and I can hear in my ear the director saying, 'Get to the tunnel, we’ve got Fergie.'
"Milliseconds later he’s up on the TV and Fergie comes on. His face is bright red. His first comments, as you can expect, were, 'I want to make it clear, Leeds haven’t won the league. Manchester United have lost the league! I’m making it clear!'
"Nose very red, he says, 'Make no mistake, Leeds have not won the league! Manchester United have lost the league! We’ve thrown the league away.'
"So flippantly in Lee Chapman’s living room, I say, 'Big red-face as gracious as ever in defeat.' Then Dennis Law came back in my ear and said, 'Gary, Fergie can hear you.'
"Alex Ferguson has walked past me in Lithuanian airports and Albanian hotels for 20 years and never looked in my direction!"
Ferguson did eventually bury the hatchet with McAllister, however, as the former Liverpool man revealed he was touchingly one of the first people to reach out to him following the death of his wife Denise in 2006.
