Less than a mile separates Anfield and Goodison Park, but this bitter and hostile derby truly divides locals. Although it was dubbed the “friendly-derby” in the 1980s, it has certainly escalated from that point.
Everton was the most successful club in the city until Liverpool’s resurgence in the 1960s under Bill Shankly. The two clubs fought for EPL titles and FA Cups for many years, but Everton hasn’t won anything since 1995.
At the moment, Liverpool is the superior team, and the EPL betting odds reflect that. However, that hasn’t taken any of the rancor out of this rivalry, with Everton claiming to be a “People’s Club,” calling out Liverpool’s global reach compared to their local fan base.
4. North London Derby: Arsenal vs. Tottenham
Arsenal’s home was originally south of the River Thames in Woolwich, but in 1913, the Gunners moved to the north of the city, into Spurs territory. While Tottenham has always been the superior club of the two London rivals, the arrival of Arsene Wenger in 1996 flipped the narrative on its head.
The Gunners won three League titles and three FA Cups between 1996 and 2004.
Both teams have dropped out of the title race in the last few years, but that hasn’t dimmed the aggression on the pitch when these two teams go head-to-head.
3. Manchester Derby: Manchester United vs. Manchester City
Manchester City was the dominant force before the Second World War, but United started to grow in strength and success in the latter part of the 20th century.
City’s form declined sharply in the 1990s, and they went so far as being dropped into the third tier of English soccer. They were inconsequential to United, who referred to them as “noisy neighbors.”
Enter Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan’s ownership in 2008 and the money he afforded the club, which changed the course of City’s success. City has undoubtedly knocked United down a peg, meaning these games have a renewed sense of bitterness.
2. Liverpool vs. Manchester City
This is a modern rivalry.
It is a rivalry born out of competition between Liverpool’s history and tradition and City’s new wealth and unbridled ambition. There are many different narratives to this new rivalry.
There’s Pep Guardiola vs. Jurgen Klopp, Mo Salah vs. Kevin de Bruyne, Virgil van Dijk vs. Ruben Dias, and much more.
These two clubs have been at the pinnacle of the modern game for the last couple of seasons, and while this doesn’t have the historical flavor that many other rivalries do, it’s the fight for the here and now.
Liverpool’s honors list might dwarf that of City’s, but that just fuels the ambition of the Manchester club to close the gap.
