Greatest Premier League Rivalries

SlickRic

I’ve seen a lot of talk about ‘greatest rivalries’ online over the last few days.  Lots of people getting predictably butthurt at the idea that other teams’ fans think that rivalries involving their team might be preferable.

For my money, it’s a stupid question because there are too many things to consider, and there are so many factors.

Quality of football.

Animosity.

Tightness of the title race involved.

Pedigrees of the managers.

(and probably more besides)

To pick out three…

Fergie’s Utd against Wenger’s Arsenal had the most animosity and was probably the most physical to watch.

Fergie’s Utd versus Mourinho’s Chelsea was fine, but it was more about the temporary changing of the guard than the actual rivalry.

Pep’s City versus Klopp’s Liverpool was extremely friendly, but insane on quality, points totals, etc.

Where you fall on this is probably dictated a huge amount by what team you support.

For me, Arsenal v Utd is probably the greatest rivalry in terms of how it sucked everyone in with the passion and professional hatred each team had for each other.  The quality seemed insane at the time, but that’s largely because many of us didn’t know any better as other leagues around the world weren’t quite ubiquitous enough for us to challenge our notions on the quality of the Premier League.  The quality was excellent, don’t get me wrong, but it wasn’t the best quality in Europe or anything.

In terms of pure quality, I genuinely believe City v Liverpool has been the best.  Pure relentless winning like that has never really been seen by two teams at once.

But Utd and Arsenal fans will likely disagree, and honestly, I’m not going to really argue.  All our respective nostalgia is intoxicating, and we want, as fans, for our teams to be involved in what is considered the best of anything.

The Golden Miller

In terms of quality, it's Liverpool v City for sure. Liverpool left the league behind them in 18-19. But when both went on a run at their best, it was incredible.

United Arsenal was more intense and personal for the managers and players. So in that sense, it would be number one.

I'd argue United-Arsenal captured the imagine in a bigger way .

Chelsea v United when Mourinho landed was my favorite rivalry though. You always knew Fergie was better than Wenger, but when Mourinho landed, you felt Ferguson met his match

CSF

Wenger’s Arsenal vs Fergie’s United is the overall definite winner. City are far too irrelevant to be a meaningful part of a massive rivalry. Sure, they’ve been competitive since the money came in, but there’s nothing historical there to speak of.

Would take decades for them to build up meaningful rivalries with anyone. Can’t remember United and Liverpool being good at the same time for a sustained period in my lifetime.

jacool

As football was only invented, by Sky, in 1992, that frames this debate.

In that time Man Utd and Arsenal have been in the top 2 places, over 20 times, and in four seasons have occupied the top 2 positions.

Interestingly, in all those 4 seasons the Red Devils came out on top, whereas when it was Chelsea and Man Utd, they finished 2-2, sharing 4 titles.

I'd put that rivalry, especially with the two managers, now both "Hall Of Famers" as the big one.

When Arsenal won in 2001/2, Liverpool were in the unusual position of 2nd, but the Gunners won that title at Old Trafford and celebrated in style.

Pogue eile

When you read the title of the thread, or at least when I did, the first thing that automatically comes into your mind is Ferguson/Wenger and Keane/Viera, maybe its an age thing as well but for me those are the ones that stand out.

Pogue eile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120420039#Comment_120420039

97/98 season was Arsenal first and United second. They shared the top two places 5 times in that period of rivalry. Arsenal also beat United in a cup final which was kind of the end of the rivalry

bucketybuck

Liverpool City isn't a rivalry, and if it is then the term is meaningless.

Can probably blame soulless Man city for that, but nothing about those years inspires the sort of snarling passion that some of the genuine rivalries did.

HalloweenJack

Remember when van Nistelrooy missed a pen and the Arsenal players celebrated in his face? Or Utd ending the unbeaten run at Old Trafford? Pizzagate? Or Keane and Vieira at Highbury? Didn't Ferguson fling a boot at Beckham after losing to Arsenal at some point?

The 2005 cup final was quite boring in comparion, iirc.

In the late 90s and early 00s, Arsenal were the only team to come close to Man U and you'd see how personally Ferguson took it. I don't remember him getting so worked up with Mourinho and he taking the piss out of Benitez most times.

The longevity and close association of both managers with either club and the early stages of Sky's saturation of the PL made the rivalry so emphatic. This was before social media so there weren't anywhere near as many voices or variety.

Klopp and Guardiola could be compared just to how good both sides are but there doesn't seem to be the same personal intensity to it.

castletownman

Definitely United-Arsenal of the 90s/00s (Fergie vs Wenger, Keane vs Vieira). At least it was organic and in many ways, for good or bad, was the catalyst to the modern day Sky Sports trying to drum up rivalries and manufacturing drama.

Super Sunday actually meant something back then. Now it's Tyler's half-hearted 'And it's live' with xG stats and low blocks and ridiculous gamesmanship.

It is a Dunne Deal

The Fergie/Wenger rivalry was the best and most memorable but the newcastle/Man Utd and Blackburn/Man Utd one's were quite fierce albeit not as long lasting.

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120426644#Comment_120426644

Honestly, not sure those 2 even make the top 10

It is a Dunne Deal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120427496#Comment_120427496

Ah one of them provided the greatest interview of all " I would love it if we beat them love it"

CSF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120427677#Comment_120427677

Greatest interview in PL history for sure

thebaz

Brighton / Palace (never really got what that rivalry is about

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120430545#Comment_120430545

Palace were the closest League club to Brighton for decades and decade - Crawley are now firmly in the way; but many older Crawley fans from the non-league days would consider themselves dual Crawley and Brighton fans anyway - Brighton having been the only league team in Sussex for those decades.

Palace have many other closer teams, but none that can be arsed with consider them their main rivals. Palace-Brighton games often got scheduled on 26/12 when it was the traditional derby day too; albeit that stopped being a thing well before the recent, long enough period, of both teams being in the same division most years.