'Sir Alex Ferguson broke his Liverpool promise to me after I signed for Man Utd'

Sir Alex Ferguson assured Dimitar Berbatov of a interruption erstwhile helium joined Manchester United, but the legendary Scottish manager's hunger for glory saw this vow broken

Dimitar Berbatov was promised a week-long interruption by Sir Alex Ferguson erstwhile joining Manchester United - but a day with Liverpool was excessively captious to miss.

The silky, nonchalant Bulgarian made the power to Old Trafford successful 2008, completing his £30.75million woody connected deadline day. He would go another portion successful the Red Devils’ bid for a 3rd successive Premier League title.

With their bitter rival Reds sitting connected 18 full league titles and United's caller exploits nether Ferguson raising them up to 17, different top-flight crown that word would person levelled up bragging rights - and the manager knew this.

As Berbatov’s woody was completed truthful late, the Scottish icon made a vow that helium would fto him person immoderate clip disconnected earlier leaving the starting stalls. But aft winning 2 and drafting 1 of their opening 3 games, a important travel to Anfield beckoned, and the caller enlistee simply had to beryllium called upon.

"Sir Alex was with maine erstwhile we were finalising the transfer, and it was truthful past minute, truthful worrying that it was happening truthful late, that helium said: 'Berba, I cognize it’s stressful, what you’re going through, but, erstwhile we decorativeness this, I committedness you tin person a week’s interruption truthful you tin get yourself together,'” Berbatov told the United website.

"’Okay, that works.’ As soon arsenic I signed, it was: 'Okay, get ready. Next crippled is Liverpool.' In my head, I’m like: Where’s my one-week break?!

"But that was each fine. As the crippled got closer, I could consciousness the excitement, the nerves, the tension. You commencement to get much and much cognition astir the rivalry and the past betwixt the 2 clubs.

"The anticipation of winning the game, of performing, it’s important. This is each gathering up until, connected the time of the game, I stepped retired connected the transportation for the archetypal time… and it was thing new."

Flung into the starting lineup, Berbatov partnered Carlos Tevez up front, and it didn’t instrumentality agelong for the duo to travel good. A specified 3 minutes into the battle, the now-43-year-old teed up Tevez for the opener, and Ferguson’s men had snatched an aboriginal lead.

However, this archetypal joyousness was short-lived. A Wes Brown ain extremity 24 minutes aboriginal levelled proceedings, and 13 minutes from time, Ryan Babel claimed each 3 points for the location fans.

Yet, Berbatov and United would person the past laugh. Even with Liverpool topping the array astatine the caller year, Ferguson’s broadside would spell connected to triumph their 18th league rubric - pipping their rivals to the trophy by 4 points and swinging bragging rights the mode of Manchester with a three-peat.

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