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Last week, I was privileged enough to watch the colossal battle between Manchester United and Liverpool live at the Old Trafford Stadium. I must say the trip was unforgettable and, at the same time tortuous.

First, I’m a die-hard Liverpool fan, so I don’t need to state the obvious — United won 2-1.

But to exacerbate the situation, I had to sit among the boisterous United fans who were shouting anti-Liverpool chants from kick-off until the final whistle, including the notorious chant of “You Scouse B******s.”

The Manchester fans also devilishly went after individuals players, calling Luis Suarez a “racist b*****d,” (somewhat true), Andy Carroll a “waste of money, ” (very true even for a ‘Pool fan like myself) and saying that Steven Gerrard wanted a “transfer request” (a big no for anyone who backs the Reds).

Adding salt to the wound, I wasn’t sitting in the East Stand, the only section for visiting fans, in this case from Liverpool. Instead, destiny put me in the South Stand with the home supporters.

So aside from hearing non-stop mockery, I had to restrain myself from yelling my support for the Reds, a potential act of suicide, especially when Suarez scored the consolation goal in the 80th minute.

It was a rather suffocating experience.

On top of that, the bone-chilling weather was killing me, someone whose source of cold typically comes from a 20-degree air conditioner. It was so chilly that I had to spend a good 10 minutes opening the buttons of my pants with my frozen hands when I went to the loo.

Putting my allegiance aside, I can’t deny that visiting the great Old Trafford, home of one of the best clubs in the world, was a momentous experience.

The stadium is an imposing, yet elegant structure. The red brick, concrete and glass combination highlighted the mix of tradition and modernity.

I went to the stadium about four hours before the match. So I saw how the place went from a mere tourist attraction to a hot spot packed with almost 75,000 people.

The day reminded me a bit of the Gelora Bung Karno experience. There were a lot of stalls selling unofficial Man Utd merchandise. And if GBK has gorengan, or deep fried food, then the Manchester match day diversions included offers of hotdogs, burgers and, of course, the famous English fish and chips.

My observations drew me to believe that there are many things that Indonesia can learn from Old Trafford.

Whether the fans were lining up for hotdogs, the toilet or even just entering the stadium, it was all done in such a well-mannered way. No one was trying to cut the lines, there was no shoulder-to-shoulder cramping, nor people shoving from behind like there’s no tomorrow.

Toward the end of the match, I joined the throngs of people packing the spot where the players exited the stadium. I witnessed Liverpool players entering the bus, as well as United players and their lavish cars.

But what made the trip a memorable one was the fact that it was an MU-Liverpool battle, two of the biggest English teams in the league’s history. It is one of the fiercest rivalries in the game, one that always provides exciting encounters. That day was not an exception.

While the match itself was great, it was the whole hullabaloo surrounding Suarez snubbing Patrice Evra’s handshake that made the headlines in the British media for days afterwards. And I was there to witness the notorious incident.

So yes, I concede Liverpool lost that day. But I didn’t leave the stadium feeling like a loser. Rather, I was no longer someone who merely heard stories about the game, that day I was actually a part of the story.

Armando Siahaan is a reporter at the Jakarta Globe. Follow him on Twitter @jakartajourno or e-mail him at armando.siahaan@thejakartaglobe.com.