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If it's Cardiff City, then it's Neil Warnock. And that usually causes ructions within the Liverpool support.

While the Cardiff boss has been saying nice things about the Reds in the build-up to Sunday's Premier League clash between the two in South wales, that hasn't always been the case.

First, let's look at what Warnock has said in the last few days.

"It’s difficult to compare the great sides because football’s changed so much," he said when asked about how Jurgen Klopp's side compare to past Liverpool teams.



“It was such a different game back when I was growing up. They were the best back then by a mile. And I think these are, along with Man City, the best by a mile at the moment.



“They’re one of the best in the world. Jurgen’s done a fabulous job. It’s all about balance. There were one or two weaknesses and he’s filled those weaknesses, with top players.”

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All very respectful. However, Reds fans won't shed any tears should Warnock be unable to keep Cardiff in the Premier League, enjoying something of a mutual love-to-hate relationship with the veteran manager.

He has had a number of run-ins with the Reds over the years, the first coming way back in 2003 and the latest coming earlier this season.

Spitting mad

The lengthy feud all stems back to a League Cup semi final in 2003, when Warnock was in charge of Sheffield United.

After the second leg of that tie at Anfield, he accused Reds defender Stephane Henchoz of spitting at him - a claim the Swiss international has always vehemently denied.

"I was disappointed at the end as Henchoz spat at me," he claimed, "Sammy Lee knows what happened, Henchoz knows. I won't be changing my view."

"He isn’t English," Warnock responded when he was asked why the mild-mannered Henchoz would have had reason to do such a thing.

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It was an astonishing claim that was flatly denied by then Reds boss Gerard Houllier.

"I was right there, I saw what happened and he didn't spit at Neil. He spat on the ground," Houllier said.

In his autobiography Warnock recalled a clash with Phil Thompson, then Liverpool’s assistant manager, during that tie in which he remarked "F*** off Pinocchio, get back in your f***ing cupboard" and also fell out with Houllier over comments made about Sheffield United’s physical approach to the game.

Classy.

Rafa feud

A 1-0 defeat for Liverpool at Fulham was the result for Warnock to begin his feud with Rafa Benitez back in 2007.

With Liverpool preparing for a second Champions League final in three years, Benitez, rather sensibly, opted to rest several of his big-name players ahead of the Reds' trip to Craven Cottage.

A Reds team containing Robbie Fowler, Xabi Alonso, Craig Bellamy, Sami Hyypia and Pepe Reina were beaten 1-0 by a relegation-haunted Cottagers.

“At least I knew the players that were playing," said Warnock after the game. "I didn’t even know two of those that played for Liverpool at Fulham last week.

"I’d never heard of them but when you are a foreign manager like Rafa Benitez, you probably don’t give two hoots about what Sheffield United think."

A year later, Warnock was again bemoaning Benitez's tactics, admitting he was "still very bitter" about the whole episode, ignoring his own 38 games he had to keep Sheffield United in the Premier League.

"I'm still very bitter about it," he said. "It's part of a big club's mentality. They look after themselves and they don't bother about anyone else."

Benitez, for his part, hit a humdinger of a response and threatened his adversary with legal action if he continued with his accusation.

"Somebody told me [about Warnock]," said Benitez. "We knew he was bad as a manager and prehistoric, but we didn't know he was a person like this.

(Image: Getty Images)

"I will speak to my lawyer. We don't need to waste time with him."

Laughably, Warnock tried to claim even Reds supporters were unhappy with Benitez's team selection as he prepared to return to Anfield against Kenny Dalglish's team in 2011.

"I love Liverpool the club and their manager Kenny Dalglish, they are going to be a real force over the next few years, but I think even their fans were disgusted with what happened," said Warnock, who wildly misjudged the mood among Reds supporters.

Windows

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By 2017, Warnock was still taking aim at Liverpool whenever the opportunity presented itself.

After overseeing Liverpool's 1-0 win over Plymouth in the FA Cup two years ago, Warnock, who was on punditry duty for BT Sport, made a wisecrack that fell flat when sitting alongside Steven Gerrard and Steve McManaman.

After the Reds' 1-0 win presenter Jake Humphrey apologised that the BT Sport studio was as cold inside as it was outside on the pitch.

Steve McManaman replied: "I'm fine, I'm from Liverpool. It doesn't bother me the cold.

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Warnock, ever the comedian, chipped in with a dig: "They don't have windows there, do they?"

Warnock was the only man laughing as Humphrey said: "We'd better move quickly on," accompanied by some derisory sideways glances from Gerrard.

Hilarious, Neil...

Loan move De-Clyned

Warnock's most recent spat came back in January as he vented his fury with Liverpool's decision to loan Nathaniel Clyne to AFC Bournemouth, branding the Reds' seemingly straight forward loan deal "a disgrace".

Never one to mince his words or adopt more subtle ways of getting his point across, Warnock went on the attack, criticising both Liverpool and Clyne for Cardiff's failure to secure the deal themselves.

He said: "I was disappointed with Nathaniel Clyne.

(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

"Having known the player and given him his debut, I'm disappointed not just with the boy himself but with Liverpool as well for not ringing me.

"To see it on television when I've done everything right and they've promised that he's my player this week, it's a disgrace for me, it's a lack of class isn't it?

"But listen, we're not going to get any favours, whether it's on the pitch or off it and we're always up against it and that's when we're good."