I always classed Derbies as teams from the same City? United v City, Liverpool v Everton, Spurs v Arsenal etc. Has the term ‘Derby’ just over spilled into big rivalries now?
Is United v Liverpool a true Derby match?
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Neither of those teams are Derby so no.
But more seriously, it’s always been a “local derby” so I don’t know where the idea that the teams have to be from the same city comes from. Liverpool and Manchester are only around 50km so it definitely qualifies. Schalke-Dortmund, Ipswich-Norwich, Sunderland-Newcastle and Portsmouth-Southampton are all massive derbies and none are from the same city.
For me “the derby“ will always be City, but yes you can class Liverpool as a local derby.
It's more about the rivalry and the fact that those are England's most successful clubs. No one calls United Everton a derby so geography has nothing to do with it. I wouldn't call United Liverpool a derby the same as I won't call Milan Juve a derby.
It's not a derby.
Inter vs Juve is referred to as the 'Derby d' Italia' so there's that.
Erm, there are lots of derbies between sides from different cities. In fact most derbies are, because most towns/cities only have one football club.
Derby maybe wrong word for it, but for me this game means a lot more than game against City. It's the fiercest rivalry - beacuse of that, word derby doesn't sound so bad anymore 
There is a long history between the two cities and fight about waterways and harbours and that started to reflect also on the pitch.
There is a long history between the two cities and fight about waterways and harbours and that started to reflect also on the pitch.
Yup, all similar distances away from each other and all considered derbies. Plymouth/Exeter, Colchester/Southend, Lyon/St Etienne I think are an even a greater distance away and all considered major derbies. Throw in United and Liverpool being bigger and having more history than all those clubs, it most certainly is a derby.
Of course it is not a derby.
So can we named Real Madrid vs AC Milan champions league derby ?
Considering that the United vs. Liverpool rivalry is transcendental (like Madrid vs. Barcelona or Ajax vs. Feyenoord or Benfica vs. Porto), and boasts most of the stereotypical characteristics associated with a cross-city derby, I wouldn't be opposed to to classifying it as such — even though technically, it isn't one...as the term has its root in a bitter local affair from back in the day:
- Fervent partisanship, animosity and vying for bragging rights: not just on the basis of sporting competitiveness of the two goliaths of English football, but the cultural and historical backdrops of the respective cities since the Industrial Revolution.
- From the same-ish region (Old Trafford to Anfield is roughly 50 kms), if not necessarily the same city — in a very interconnected world, too — so there's an unavoidable sense of proximity.
- Have almost always belonged to the same division — which means they face off regularly in consequential games, and that adds layer upon layer to the overarching theater and controversy.
- At least from the perspective of large swathes of United fans, this rivalry is more meaningful and evokes a greater sense of passion/intrigue than the cross-city one with Manchester City — as our rivalry with them didn't have the historical foundation or competitiveness of Liverpool vs. Everton.
I've never called this match a derby but it is more important in terms of history and rivalry than the Manchester Derby
It's a bigger game for them than Utd, I've always felt that, only because they've been chasing Utd for 30yrs. Before that it was just another game I felt we beat them they beat us , but we dropped points against other sides they didn't. The 80s also had Everton to contended with.
Since 93 I'd say onwards and definitely from 2000, to 2016 it was a game they want to win
Since they think there so far superior no worries in these games . We see on Sunday how far we've come in getting closer.
Since 93 I'd say onwards and definitely from 2000, to 2016 it was a game they want to win
Since they think there so far superior no worries in these games . We see on Sunday how far we've come in getting closer.
United verses City = Manchester Derby (same City)
United verses Liverpool = East Lancs Derby (opposite ends of East Lancs) or could be ' Ship Canal' Derby
United verses Leeds United - Roses Derby (Lancs/Yorkshire) or Trans-Pennine Derby
United verses Liverpool = East Lancs Derby (opposite ends of East Lancs) or could be ' Ship Canal' Derby
United verses Leeds United - Roses Derby (Lancs/Yorkshire) or Trans-Pennine Derby
Don't know why this is being called a derby now. Utd v City is a derby and I can understand some of the matches in the old days like Utd v Bolton, but v Liverpool is definitely not a derby, even if it's a big rivalry fixture.
It's a big match not a derby
United vs LA Galaxy, transcontinental derby
The building of the Manchester Ship Canal sowed the seeds for the rivalry between both cities which spilled over onto the football pitch.
However to call the game a derby would be wrong imv. It's bigger than that!
However to call the game a derby would be wrong imv. It's bigger than that!
It's not technically a derby, but it's seen in a similar light because we never used to care about City (we've won more league derbies at their ground than they have, and once went thirty years unbeaten at home against them in league derbies), whereas Liverpool have been seen as more our rivals, contesting for our honours and taxing our wool!
Do people actually call it a derby?
Lazy reporting to call it a derby. Manchester is very different to Merseyside, thankfully!!
First line on Wikipedia...
"The Liverpool F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry, also known as the North West Derby"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_F.C.–Manchester_United_F.C._rivalry
Maybe it's more likely to be seen as a "derby" by an international audience...?
I wouldn't Call it a Derby. But it is the biggest match of the year Regardless of where the teams sit in the League. This year its just tastier
Where im from the big match today Wanderers v Albion is always called a derby, but in reality it isnt as they are a city and town 10 miles apart. Utd v Liverpool is a fierce top rivalry match, but not a derby in the true sense of the word. It is the biggest match in the Premier though. The 2 best teams historically playing one another.
The only Derby for us is the City game.
It's bigger than a Derby and easily the biggest game in the Premier League, even though it's rarely a good game.
Would rather win both games each season v Pool than v City (depending on how the league table looks obvs). Losing to these is always horrible.
Would rather win both games each season v Pool than v City (depending on how the league table looks obvs). Losing to these is always horrible.
It’s like Barca vs Real (El Classico) and Bayern vs Dortmund (Der Klassiker or whatever bollocks it is)
Anglo-Classic?
Anglo-Classic?
Nah, El Classico works only for Barca vs Real. Any other usages are cringy.
It is not a “derby”, it is however the biggest game for both sides involved by some distance.
it’s cringe for that match as well. Is it a (reasonably) recent terminology? Or been in use for 100+ years?
Also I’m surprised to see people rating BVB-Bayern so highly, with Bayern having more hatred for 1860 and Nürenberg, and BVB for Schalke. For me, rivalries are judged on the passion, history and hatred shared between the clubs and fan bases rather than simply the footballing side.
A derby is just a sporting contest, so yeah, it's a derby.
The real question is 'is Liverpool local to Manchester?'.
The real question is 'is Liverpool local to Manchester?'.
The term 'derby' originated from the Rugby League fixture between St Helens and Wigan, two teams from two different towns in two different counties. They're a bit closer together than Manchester and Liverpool are, but the same applies. It's a game versus the neighbouring city, and a rival city in more ways than just football. I'd say it's a derby.
I've no idea what the background to this is but St Helens and Wigan were both in Lancashire until 1974.
As were Liverpool and Manchester both historically in Lancs.
Indeed. I only mentioned St Helens and Wigan to put OnlyTwo right.
So is the Tyne-Wear Derby a Derby or not?
They were, but it's still called the derby despite now being in different counties. Same applies to Manchester and Liverpool, historically, so I'd say it fits the criteria of a derby.