Sir Alex Ferguson congratulated Liverpool on Premier League title win, reveals Kenny Dalglish

Two Scotsmen were rivals during their respective reigns at Anfield and Old Trafford

Sir Kenny Dalglish has revealed that former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson reached out to congratulate Liverpool on their first Premier League title triumph this week.

Dalglish, who managed Liverpool between 1985 and 1991 and then again from 2011 to 2012, shared a fierce rivalry with fellow Scotsman Ferguson, who coached United between 1986 and 2013.

In his first spell as Reds boss, Dalglish led the club to three league titles, while Ferguson won 13 in his entire time as United manager.

Ferguson’s departure from Old Trafford in 2013 coincided with United’s 20th league title, and Liverpool’s victory this week – while marking their first Premier League triumph – was their 19th league title overall.

Dalglish said Ferguson “contacted us to say congratulations by the modern medium” to honour the occasion.

“You go through the older generation, Fergie at Man Utd, Brian Kidd, Mike Summerbee – all the old foes who went through the football at the same time as us, maybe a wee bit ahead of us – and at the end of the year you sent a letter of congratulations and to say well done,” said Dalglish, who also won titles with Liverpool as a player.

“That continues through. It is a great compliment. You are in competition and rivals, but to have the intelligence so that you are magnanimous enough to send in a letter saying congratulations.

“These days it has gone more technical, you get your texts or emails off the people who you have been competing with all your life in football.

“They would wish it was themselves who won it, but they are proud to pay homage to other people as well. It has always happened. You just congratulate each other and at the same time hope it is you next year.

“It was just congratulations. You are not at war. People shake hands before every game and after every game. You are in competition obviously, but it is manners to say congratulations and well done.”

Current United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played under Ferguson at the club, also congratulated the Reds.

“Any team that wins the championship and a Premier League deserve it and they deserve credit,” he said. “It’s a hard league to win, so well done to Jurgen [Klopp] and his players.”