Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's fixture against Liverpool is the biggest club game in the world.
The two title rivals meet at Anfield on Saturday and Ferguson believes the clash eclipses matches between Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
"You know the difference - Barcelona's one end of the country, Madrid the other," he said. "The fans don't travel [in Spain].
"The only game that can rival United-Liverpool is Rangers-Celtic."
Ferguson added: "I have always considered it to be the game of the season in English football.
"It is all to do with the history of both clubs and cities."
Ferguson admits the Manchester derby may take on added significance over the course of the next few years but still favours his duels with the Merseysiders.
It promises to be another explosive match, but Ferguson has urged both sets of supporters to play their part by maintaining a healthy amount of respect for each other.
He said: "That [hostility] is never going to change but I think both clubs need each other.
"The history both clubs have should be appreciated by both sets of fans.
"That's sometimes annoying when I hear silly chants about Munich, about Hillsborough, I don't think it does either club any good at all because, without each other, there wouldn't be the English league.
"If it came to a stage where fans were banned from each other's ground, it wouldn't really be the same game. We need each other in that respect.
"The respect, in terms of the history of both clubs, should be adhered to and hopefully we can see that because it's a fantastic occasion."
The return of Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager has added even more spice to the fixture, with the old foes meeting for only the third time since the Reds brought one of their favourite sons back to Anfield.
Manchester United have the edge over Liverpool in this fixture. They have won the game 71 times, compared to Liverpool's 61 victories. There have been 50 draws.
United will be aiming to avenge their 3-1 Premier League defeat there in March, while it is the first time the two sides have met since Ferguson reacted angrily to questions posed by Kelly Cates, Dalglish's daughter, in a television interview.
A Liverpool victory would see them move to within three points of leaders United, who are sweating on the fitness of defender Nemanja Vidic.
"The big question mark is whether [he] is ready for the game," Ferguson said.
"He's certainly had his first game for Serbia on Tuesday, played a full game, so it's certainly a consideration because he's such a good competitor.
"He came in [on Thursday] and felt OK. But the Liverpool game is such an intense, draining game that you want everybody to be 100% so it may be more down to how he feels himself really."
