I played for Manchester United and Liverpool - expectations at one club were very different
Paul Ince has admitted he realised Liverpool didn't have the mentality to replicate Manchester United's success quickly after making a controversial move to Anfield.
The 53-year-old, who is one of a handful of players to turn out for both United and Liverpool in the Premier League era, joined Roy Evans' side from Inter Milan in 1997, two years after he was sold to the Italian giants by United.
Ince failed to win any silverware during his two seasons at Anfield and was sold to Middlesbrough in 1999 by manager Gerard Houllier. However, the 53-cap England international believes it was the Reds' mentality that stifled their success in the late '90s despite boasting talents like Robbie Fowler, Jamie Redknapp, Michael Owen and David James.
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"It was different," Ince said on talkSPORT when asked whether the weight of expectation was greater at United or Liverpool. "I always felt the expectation at Manchester United was to win, like it is now. When you go to Manchester United you're expected to win and win and win. Not to say that wasn't the case at Liverpool.
"The difference when I went to Liverpool was that the players didn't have the mentality to want to win the title. Listen, we had a very, very good side; Fowler, McManaman, Redknapp, Patrik Berger, okay. But we didn't have the mentality and desire to do what it took to win a title. And that was the only difference between the two clubs."
Asked if the failure to win a league title during his career at Anfield still hurt him, Ince, who managed a third and seventh-place finish in his two seasons at the
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