One of the greatest things about football is the passion among teams and fans, and sometimes this creates intense feuds between rival clubs. Here are five of the Premier League’s fiercest grudge matches.
Manchester United vs. Manchester City
For a good number of years, the Manchester derby meant little to United, as City were hardly within touching distance of them. That has all changed, as the Sky Blues have surpassed the Red Devils in the past few seasons. Now with old enemies, Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, taking up posts in the red and blue sides of Manchester respectively, this fixture is set to be tastier than ever. The first time these two managers meet since their bitter feuds in La Liga is sure to be one of the spectacles of the season, as two of the finest tacticians in the sport scrap for supremacy.
The first clash between the two is on September 10th at Old Trafford, in what is almost certain to be a sell-out fixture. Spectators who manage to get their hands on tickets for the game will be able to see the tension between the two bosses, and it will be a showdown to see who the best manager in the world really is. Both have been given whopping transfer budgets and clean slates to work with at their new clubs, so it will be intriguing to see which of these powerhouses smashes their way to domination.
Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs were the original club in North London, but then Arsenal crashed the party when they moved to Highbury in 1913. Ever since then, there has been a strong rivalry between the two sides, and the North London derby means more now than it has done in a long while. This is because Spurs have become serious title contenders, and nearly finished above the Gunners last season for the first time in twenty-one years.
Under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, the Lilywhites are certainly on the up, and the North London derby could settle which of the teams finishes in the top four this season, with some of the other top clubs also on the rise and congestion at the summit. The next meeting between the two teams is November 5th at the Emirates. Will it be Alexis Sanchez or Harry Kane that steals the show this time?
Liverpool vs. Everton
The Liverpool derby is the oldest grudge match in the top flight of English football, as both teams have been in the top tier together since 1962. Traditionally it has been nicknamed The Friendly Derby, as many families in Liverpool contain supporters of both teams. It was also the only derby match that didn’t have total fan segregation. However, in the last thirty years, the rivalry has failed to live up to its name and has become one of the more aggressive fixtures, on, and off the pitch. In fact, this derby has had more red cards than any other game in England.
Everton have installed Ronald Koeman as their new manager and supplied him with a club record transfer budget. The blue side of Liverpool could soon become serious top-four contenders. The two teams will meet at Anfield for the first time this season on October 15th, and it is definitely not one to be missed.
Sunderland vs. Middlesbrough
The classic Northeast derby in the Premier League has been the Tyne-Wear derby between Newcastle vs. Sunderland for many years. But for the last few campaigns, both teams have been in a drastic decline which resulted in a fierce relegation battle last season. The Black Cats just escaped the drop but their neighbours and long term rivals weren’t so fortunate.
At the same time as this relegation scrap was happening, Middlesbrough were dominating in the Championship and achieved automatic promotion to the top flight. They will now be able to reignite their old rivalry with Sunderland, and the first Tees-Wear derby is at the Stadium of Light on August 20th. Sunderland have been flirting with relegation for a while now, will their local rivals leapfrog them regarding north-eastern supremacy?
Liverpool vs. Manchester United
The Liverpool Manchester rivalry is one of the few in which both sets of teams and fans absolutely despise each other. Both believe they are the biggest club in the history of football, and both have the titles to make a strong case. Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, United surpassed them in terms of trophies won a few years ago, and the Reds are still in search of their first ever Premier League win.
With Jürgen Klopp now in charge at Liverpool, many are of the belief that in the next few years they will be able to reclaim their status as one of the elite clubs in Europe. The German is highly ambitious, and this summer should give him a chance to mould the team to fit his style. But with Mourinho also on a rebuilding mission, the clash could end up being a showcase of two world class managers facing off against one another.
The first meeting of the season between these two old enemies is on October 15th at Anfield. Which team will come out on top is anyone’s guess right now.
These intense rivalries are just a few of the factors that make the Premier League the best league in the world.
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