SINGAPORE – It is one of the oldest and most storied rivalries in the history of English football — perhaps even the sport itself. Manchester United versus Liverpool FC. While the clashes may be played out in England, the action is closely followed by fans from all over the world.
And almost 11,000 kilometers away, in the former British colony of Singapore, you’ll find die-hard fans who are as passionate as any other. The last match between the two giants took place on September. 1, 2024 at 11 pm (Singapore time) and would finish well past midnight.
Despite the next day being Monday, Singaporean fans tuned in regardless. Those who did witnessed Erik Ten Hag’s Red Devils fall to Arne Slot’s Reds three goals to nil at Old Trafford. Manchester United fans everywhere had to endure the taunts of rival fans.
But in Singapore, there was more to come. A local chain selling Indian and South Asian food, Srisun Express, made an audacious offer : any customer who turned up at one of their six outlets while wearing a Manchester United shirt would receive three pieces of “roti prata,” free of charge. MICROCOSM OF SINGAPORE.
An order of pratas, a plain one on top and one with egg at the bottom. As the comments section showed, the promotion was greeted by lots of good-natured taunting and jokes. It was picked up by a number of local Singapore news sites, and at least for a day, one eatery received a boost in sales.
But that wasn’t all it showed. Behind the curry and crispy do.