30 best soccer rivalries in the world

5. Manchester United vs Liverpool

The greatest rivalry in English soccer, and one of the greatest rivalries in the world. When the two Northern cities clash, fireworks occur. The two red halves of the respective cities have competed for titles in English soccer for years, and the animosity between the two cities has often shown itself when the two clubs have faced each other.

The extent of the hatred between these two great clubs is illustrated by the fans greater hostility towards each other than their noisy neighbors. While Everton and Manchester City may like to think of themselves as the greatest rivals to Liverpool and United, the local derbies pale into insignificance when the Merseyside and Mancunian clubs face one another.

Unlike any other fixture, the heated exchanges are as strong between players as they are between the fans. Both clubs have players that are inherently connected to either club. Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes among others have all only ever played for either Liverpool and United. Such continuity between players has created more than a frosty relationship between the players. When John O’Shea scored an injury-time winner at the Kop in 2007, Gary Neville described the achievement as “a lifelong dream.”

The animosity felt between players was only multiplied when Luis Suarez was banned for eight games after being accused of racially abusing United full-back Patrice Evra. In Suarez’s returning fixture, he ducked the pregame handshake of Evra, inciting rage from United’s players and fans.

The controversial nature of the fixture is entangled with the history of English soccer, and the rivalry between these two great English clubs will always dominate the skyline of the Premier League.