“There is a massive difference in money but we have better fans than United.”

I don’t know whether I’d describe the difference as ‘massive’, but yes, Rafael Benitez has spent more money than Sir Alex Ferguson.

Money
Liverpool
2004/2005
In:
Djibril Cisse – £14m
Xabi Alonso – £10.5m
Fernando Morientes – £6.3m
Luis Garcia – £6m
Josemi – £2m
Scott Carson – £750k
Total: £39.55m

Out:
Danny Murphy – £2.5m
El Hadji Diouf – £4m
Michael Owen – £8m
Total: £14.5m

2005/2006
In:
Peter Crouch – £7m
Craig Bellamy – £6m
Jose Reina – £6m
Daniel Agger – £5.8m
Mohammed Sissoko – £5.6m
Mark Gonzalez – £4.5m
Total: £34.9m

Out:
Milan Baros – £6.5m
Fernando Morientes – £3m
Total: £9.5m

2006/2007
In:
Dirk Kuyt – £9m
Jermaine Pennant – £6.7m
Lucas Leiva – £6m
Alvaro Albeloa – £2.64m
Gabriel Paletta – £2m
Javier Mascherano – £1.5m
Nabil El Zhar – £200l
Total: £28.04m

Out:
Chris Kirkland – £3m
Florent Sinama Pongoll – £2.7m
Djimi Traore – £2m
Stephen Warnock – £1.5m
Jan Kromkamp – £1.5m
Antonio Barragan – £680k
Dietmar Hamann – £400k
Neil Mellor – £250k
Darren Potter – £250k
Danny O’Donnell – £100k
Total: £12.38m

2007/2008
In:
Fernando Torres – £25m
Javier Mascherano – £17.1m
Ryan Babel – £11.5m
Martin Skrtel – £6.5m
Yossi Benayoun – £5m
Sebastian Leto – £1.85m
Emiliano Insua – £1m
Total: £67.95m

Out:
Mohamed Sissoko – £8.2m
Craig Bellamy – £7.5m
Djibril Cisse – £6m
Mark Gonzalez – £4.2m
Total: £25.9m

2008/2009
In:
Robbie Keane – £19m
Alberto Riera – £8m
Andrea Dossena – £7m
Diego Cavalieri – £3.5m
David Ngog – £1.5m
Total: £39m

Out:
Robbie Keane – £12m
Peter Crouch – £10m
John Arne Riise – £4m
Scott Carson – £3.25m
Danny Gutherie – £2.5m
Steve Finnan – £1m
Total: £32.75

2009/2010
In:
Glen Johnson – £18m
Alberto Aquilani – £17m
Sotirios Kyrgiakos – £1.5m
Total: £36.5m

Out:
Xabi Alonso – £30m
Alvaro Arbeloa – £3.5m
Sebastian Leto – £1.3m
Paul Anderson – £250k
Total: £35.05m

TOTAL SPEND: £245.94m
Net spend: £115.86m

Manchester United
2004/2005
In:
Wayne Rooney – £27m
Alan Smith – £7m
Gabriel Heinze – £6.9m
John Obi Mikel – £4m
Giuseppe Rossi – £200k
Total: £45.1m

Out:
Nicky Butt – £2.5m
Eric Djemba-Djemba – £1.35m
Diego Forlan – £2m
Total: £5.85m

2005/2006
In:
Nemanja Vidic – £7m
Patrice Evra – £5.5m
Park Ji-Sung – £4m
Edwin Van der Sar – £2m
Ben Foster – £1m
Total: £19.5m

Out:
John Obi Mikel – £12m
Phil Neville – £3.5m
Kleberson – £2.5m
Jonathan Spector – £500k
Total: £18.5m

2006/2007
In:
Michael Carrick – £18.6m
Total: £18.6m

Out:
Ruud van Nistelrooy – £10.3m
Tim Howard – £3m
David Jones – £1m
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake – £300k
Total: £14.6m

2007/2008
In:
Anderson – £18m
Nani – £17m
Owen Hargreaves – £17m
Carlos Tevez – £10m
Tomasz Kuszczak – £2.5m
Da Silvas – £5m
Total: £69.5m

Out:
Gabriel Heinze – £8m
Giuseppe Rossi – £6.7m
Alan Smith – £6m
Kieran Richardson – £5.5m
Phil Bardsley – £2m
Ryan Shawcross – £1m
Total: £29.2m

2008/2009
In:
Dimitar Berbatov – £30.75m
Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajic – £10m (potential of £17m)
Ritchie de Laet – £1m
Total: £41.75m

Out:
Gerard Pique – £6m
Chris Eagles – £1.25m
Total: £7.25m

2009/2010
In:
Antonio Valencia – £16m
Gabriel Obertan – £3m
Total: £19m

Out:
Cristiano Ronaldo – £80m
Fraziel Campbell – £3.5m (initial)
Lee Martin – £1.5m
Richard Eckersley – tribunal (est. £1m)
Total: £85m

TOTAL SPEND: £213.45m
Net spend: £52.05m
(Net spend without Ronaldo transfer fee: £132.05m)

Facts

Rafael Benitez has spent £32.49m more than Alex Ferguson since the summer of 2004.

Rafael Benitez’s net spend is £63.81m more than Alex Ferguson’s since the summer of 2004.

At the end of the 2003/2004 season, Manchester United finished 3rd, Liverpool finished 4th.

In 2004/2005 Manchester United finished 3rd, Liverpool finished 5th.

In 2005/2006 Manchester United finished 2nd, Liverpool finished 3rd.

In 2006/2007 Manchester United finished 1st, Liverpool finished 3rd.

In 2007/2008 Manchester United finished 1st, Liverpool finished 4th.

In 2008/2009 Manchester United finished 1st, Liverpool finished 2nd.

Since the summer of 2004 Alex Ferguson has won three league titles, one European Cup, two League Cups and one FIFA World Club Cup. Rafael Benitez has won no league titles, one European Cup and one FA Cup.

Fans

Let’s take a look at these brilliant Liverpool fans just in Rafael Benitez’s time as manager of Liverpool FC.

May 25th 2005: Liverpool supporter Graham Sankey from Anfield cracked the skull of a barman after throwing a brick at his head. Fellow Liverpool supporter Michael Shields was charged with attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison but Sankey refused to come forward.
February 18th 2006: Liverpool fans throw excrement at Manchester United fans inside Anfield. Liverpool fans attack an ambulance containing Alan Smith.
April 23rd 2006: Liverpool fans vandalise Old Trafford with graffiti about Munich and Harold Shipman
May 23rd 2007: Liverpool fans steal tickets from their own fans and force their way in to the ground ticketless.
June 17th 2007: Liverpool named worst fans in Europe by UEFA
October 18th 2009: Liverpool fan throws Liverpool-crested beachball on to the pitch which deflects Darren Bent’s strike in to Pepe Reina’s net leading Liverpool to lose 1-0

For a man so keen on ‘facts’, it seems a little odd that Benitez would insist on repeatedly making completely false statements. Perhaps it stands to reason he would keep spouting lies though, in a bid to direct attention away from his failings as a manager, and make excuses for his lacking success, particularly in comparison to Sir Alex Ferguson, whose actual spend and net spend has been lower over the course of Benitez’s time in England.

Roll on the Rafalution!

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Some transfer prices weren’t set in stone, like Fernando Torres for example. Rafael Benitez claimed the cost of the operation (which involved Luis Garcia) was “around £20m”, whilst the press, Soccerbase and Transfer League had the transfer fee at £26.5m, so I’ve compromised. The Liverpool Echo claimed Garcia was worth £4m and Torres was worth £22.5m which would put him just short of the £27m get out clause.

The Robbie Keane issue is also another one up for debate. At present, Liverpool have received £12m but that has the potential to rise to £19m.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was initial fee was £200k but later rose to over £300k due to an appearance and goal clause (21 goals in 66 games).