'I was shocked by levels set at Man Utd when I spied on players while at Liverpool'

Danny Murphy has admitted how he held Manchester United’s revered Class of ’92 in high esteem during his Anfield days. The 47-year-old, who sharpened his skills at Crewe Alexandra before signing for Liverpool in 1997, savoured success with the Reds clinching an FA Cup, a League Cup, a UEFA Cup and a Charity Shield.

But despite being part of a talented squad boasting the likes of Jamie Carragher, Michael Owen and Steven Gerrard, Murphy confessed that they could not match the sheer excellence of United’s golden generation – which included illustrious names such as David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. During an honest exchange on talkSPORT with host Simon Jordan and fellow guest Nicky Butt, when asked: “What did you at Liverpool think of their Class of 92?” Murphy revealed: “Well, we ended up with a little group ourselves.

“It was Carra, Me, Michael, Stevie, David Tommo. And we looked up to them [Manchester United], even though we didn’t like them. We looked up to them because we put them on a pedestal, and the reason we did it because of partly the reason you said – you were good players.

“But they were winning everything and they had a squad that was full of quality in class, and we wanted to emulate them. So I remember English squads early, not so much with Stevie – he came a bit later – but with Carra and Michael, and we were walking away from there and going, ‘oh my god’.

“Like the levels they sat – even in the keep-balls, you know the early keep-balls? Butty [Nicky Butt], Becks, Scholesy, they were always the best. Always. And they just gave you – I say inspiration – they gave you a yardstick of where you need to be at.”

The Mirror reports Murphy also highlighted the influential figures at Liverpool who played a pivotal role in shaping the team’s success and guiding young players. “The success we got at Liverpool when I was there was mainly because of the likes of Gary McAllister, Dietmarr Hamann – people like that, Sami Hyppia.

“They’d keep you in check, even Robbie [Fowler]. Robbie, contrary to belief…Robbie was a character but he’d pull you aside. I remember asking Robbie’s permission for example, I had a little Fiat – I think I paid £4,000 for it. And I’d got in the first team and I’d got a new contract and I’d been playing and stuff, and I went to see him about a new car and what to get and all that and he’d guide me.

“I didn’t drive in with a £60,000 Range Rover. The next jump I had a Mazda – cost me £13,000, you know? It was like the next step but Robbie would help me with that and Gary Mac would help you with thing.”

Throughout the 1990s, Sir Alex Ferguson dominated the Premier League, securing six top-flight trophies, three FA Cups, five Charity Shields, a League Cup and a Champions League. Other notable members of his renowned class of ’92 squad include Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Butt.