Which team would you most like to have a PL title rivalry with?

[LawCharltonBest]

(I think this thread is going to bomb. But any opinions welcome)

We all know United will be fighting for the title in the late 2020's when the Glazers are gone & their debt begins to melt away. And Klopp and Guardiola are in pastures new. Which team would you most like a title rivalry with? The City/Liverpool one of recent years has been a snooze-fest love-in. The league needs United to bring back the blockbuster title clashes of the 90's and 00's.

I'd personally go for Liverpool, as it's one thing we've never had in the PL era. Whenever one of us is good, the other one is shite.

Obviously fans from other clubs can answer on their teams behalf. And I'd just say try to keep it realistic rather than going for Oxford United, Salford, or some such

 

[Vidyoyo]

Coventry City

 

[P-Ro]

AFC Wimbledon is the correct answer.

 

[Pass and Move]

Arsenal

 

[El Zoido]

Spurs would be fun.

 

[Raiden Shogun]

Not a United fan but I personally really loved the United - Arsenal rivalry. Sir Alex vs Wenger, Keane vs Vieira etc. mostly down to childhood nostalgia as we don't really see those strong personalities as much now.

Liverpool, Arsenal and United fighting it out would be great

 

[Rojofiam]

I think there's a good chance of a few United - Arsenal title races in the second half of the 2020s decade.

Arsenal are already on the cusp, their squad is very young and aren't even close to their peak. Arteta, Edu and the Kroenkes are seemingly very content with each other and I think they're still in the early days of their long-term project to rebuild the club.

I expect City to be a regular contender for both the PL and CL after Pep leaves, but this scale of dominance will come to an end when that happens...or maybe they won't even be around anymore, if some of those 115 charges stick

Liverpool IMO will become similar to what we have been since 2013. A team that's in and out of top 4, maybe 1-2 title challenging seasons. FSG will have to manage the club flawlessly in order for them to be able to stay a top team without Klopp, and eventually Salah, van Dijk, etc. Maybe even Trent will go to Madrid.

Chelsea will be back in the top 6, they're too big not to eventually return to relevancy, but under the Boehly leadership, I don't see them winning much for at least the next few years.

Spurs can probably build a team and find a manager that can eventually challenge for the title for a few years, but I don't see them having sustained success for multiple years in a row.

Newcastle depends on the ambition of Saudi Arabia and whether they can be smart like Abu Dhabi with City, or brainless like Qatar with PSG.

 

[The Corinthian]

FC United of Manchester

 

[hobbers]

Spurs provided we always win it.

 

[Pascal Quiff]

Leeds. I live there and most of my mates are Leeds fans - love the Monday morning chats when they've had a weekend of being turned over!

 

[Adebisi's Hat]

Arsenal v Utd was a good rivalry that given the size of the clubs will inevitably emerge again I think.

Liverpool is a given rivalry, absolutely the best when we win but the absolute pits when we lose but it will always be a bit spicy even if both clubs are in mid table.

The media have tried to build up a City v Liverpool , Klopp v Guardiola thing but it has always been a bit of a damp squib as city especially are just not very interesting. Liverpool i despise , but i do respect albeit begrudgingly the stature of the club and its achievments.

 

[Hughes35]

Depends if we win the battle. A battle with Liverpool would be best if we win the battle every year as I just cant stand seeing them win.

Otherwise it would be best with Arsenal like the good old days.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Liverpool by a mile. Then Arsenal.

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Arsenal v Utd was a good rivalry that given the size of the clubs will inevitably emerge again I think.

Liverpool is a given rivalry, absolutely the best when we win but the absolute pits when we lose but it will always be a bit spicy even if both clubs are in mid table.

The media have tried to build up a City v Liverpool , Klopp v Guardiola thing but it has always been a bit of a damp squib as city especially are just not very interesting. Liverpool i despise , but i do respect albeit begrudgingly the stature of the club and its achievments.

Good post

Yeah the Liverpool and City title rivalry has been terrible. Doesn't help that Klopp and Guardiola are basically a couple. But it would be crap even if they weren't.

Confident Liverpool will leave the title picture post-Klopp for a few years and hopeful that city will face justice and be forced out the title picture too. So I'm excited to see what the next title rivalry will be and am hoping it's more interesting (which it will be with United, no matter who it's against because it gets everybody watching regardless of who they support)

 

[reddevilchennai]

Would love to have a rivalry with City and come on top every time. This shows them that they can have all the money but can not win in a race against us and have history like us.

 

[Oldyella]

Would be great if us and Liverpool could be decent sides at the same time challenging for titles for a few years. Failing that, Arsenal.

 

[Bondi77]

Leeds, West Ham or Millwall.

 

[Wilt]

Arsenal

 

[adexkola]

Is good football not enough for you? Why do you need your football with a side of hatred?

Anyway, Spurs. Them, or Villa.

 

[Ahmer Baig]

Can the older fans please confirm this ; I read somewhere that Man City has always been Utd fiercest rival being in same city etc. Liverpool rivalry started much much later and got fierce during SAF era specially after his comment about knocking them right off their perch.

 

[Demon Barber]

Can the older fans please confirm this ; I read somewhere that Man City has always been Utd fiercest rival being in same city etc. Liverpool rivalry started much much later and got fierce during SAF era specially after his comment about knocking them right off their perch.

It's an interesting one. My particular take on it is that the three rivalries have always been Liverpool, City and Leeds - the M62 corridor. We have had good battles with Arsenal and Chelsea at times, but they could only dream of being our rivals.

For most of my 55 years of going to United, City have largely been a comical irrelevance, but the fact that they are from the same city stirs up some tribal emotions. There is a deep hatred of all things Leeds - a vile club with vile fans - and of course the Lancashire/Yorkshire rivalry. It is such a pleasure beating them.

Which leaves Liverpool - the enemy and arch rivals. Again there is an historical rivalry from the Industrial Revolution, but in footballing terms they are our closest rivals in terms of success. The rivalry can be seen in a wider way: we have bought players from City, Leeds, Arsenal and Chelsea, and have also sold players to those clubs. Not so with Liverpool (Owen and Ince do not count because the transfers were not directly between the clubs - but remember the hatred towards Heinze when he toyed with the idea of signing for Liverpool)

So, for me, the true rivalry is Liverpool.

 

[Prodigal7]

I'm in my mid 30s and have never personally felt the Leeds rivalry as someone who's not living in Manchester. It just felt like they want to make themselves feel bigger by artificially creating a rivalry with us.

 

[Stack]

Notts County

 

[tomaldinho1]

Liverpool is, with ease, THE rivalry.
It's good to have a local city derby with City but I feel like the days of big rivalries are kind of dying, all the players are mates and managers generally just try to out compliment each other. Then on the pitch you can't do so much of what you used to be able to in regards to tackles, physicality etc. it's rare things spill over, maybe last time was Chelsea/Spurs.

 

[Spoony]

Liverpool is, with ease, THE rivalry.
It's good to have a local city derby with City but I feel like the days of big rivalries are kind of dying, all the players are mates and managers generally just try to out compliment each other. Then on the pitch you can't do so much of what you used to be able to in regards to tackles, physicality etc. it's rare things spill over, maybe last time was Chelsea/Spurs.

Yeah but fans hate each other and that's the main thing.

 

[devilish]

Salford

 

[Cessna]

I feel like the days of big rivalries are kind of dying, all the players are mates and managers generally just try to out compliment each other. Then on the pitch you can't do so much of what you used to be able to in regards to tackles, physicality etc. it's rare things spill over, maybe last time was Chelsea/Spurs.

Well, the managers don't really get to know each other that well seeing as most of them change clubs and leagues every 2 years.
Maybe if the clubs could have endured Jose, Conte, Tuchel types for a decade or longer!
(Who can forget the time Tuchel aggressively pulled Conte's arm after a handshake because the latter didn't look him in the eyes when they shook)

 

[Redplane]

West Ham. Because Ted Lasso made them look like cnuts. I liked the realism.

That and I have a mate who is a West Ham fan bc of the show. What a stupid reason. feck him.

 

[Ahmer Baig]

It's an interesting one. My particular take on it is that the three rivalries have always been Liverpool, City and Leeds - the M62 corridor. We have had good battles with Arsenal and Chelsea at times, but they could only dream of being our rivals.

For most of my 55 years of going to United, City have largely been a comical irrelevance, but the fact that they are from the same city stirs up some tribal emotions. There is a deep hatred of all things Leeds - a vile club with vile fans - and of course the Lancashire/Yorkshire rivalry. It is such a pleasure beating them.

Which leaves Liverpool - the enemy and arch rivals. Again there is an historical rivalry from the Industrial Revolution, but in footballing terms they are our closest rivals in terms of success. The rivalry can be seen in a wider way: we have bought players from City, Leeds, Arsenal and Chelsea, and have also sold players to those clubs. Not so with Liverpool (Owen and Ince do not count because the transfers were not directly between the clubs - but remember the hatred towards Heinze when he toyed with the idea of signing for Liverpool)

So, for me, the true rivalry is Liverpool.

Very good read. Well summarized the history of rivalries.

 

[lysglimt]

I'd personally go for Liverpool, as it's one thing we've never had in the PL era. Whenever one of us is good, the other one is shite.

Actually that is not true - in the 2008/2009 season, Liverpool came really close. After they beat us 4-1 at O.T and we then lost to Fulham away the week after - there were very close to us. And we looked like dropping points at home to Villa in the next game - until a certain Macheda scored the winner.

We won the league by 4 points after winning 8 of our last 9 games.

 

[Andy_Cole]

Actually that is not true - in the 2008/2009 season, Liverpool came really close. After they beat us 4-1 at O.T and we then lost to Fulham away the week after - there were very close to us. And we looked like dropping points at home to Villa in the next game - until a certain Macheda scored the winner.

We won the league by 4 points after winning 8 of our last 9 games.

The famous fachts meltdown from Benitez

 

[LawCharltonBest]

Actually that is not true - in the 2008/2009 season, Liverpool came really close. After they beat us 4-1 at O.T and we then lost to Fulham away the week after - there were very close to us. And we looked like dropping points at home to Villa in the next game - until a certain Macheda scored the winner.

We won the league by 4 points after winning 8 of our last 9 games.

I wouldn’t call a brief brush a title rivalry. They were never really in the title picture for years until United turned shite

 

[izak]

I'll love to see us hit with Liverpool, and I want City ban from the league for cheating!

 

[CallyRed]

I'll love to see us hit with Liverpool, and I want City ban from the league for cheating!

Or into liquidation. Whatever is quickest.

 

[Amsterdam Devil]

I loved the Arsenal rivalry in the 90s, such a great and fun era.

Would also be nice to have two strong teams with Liverpool and us. Historically when one is strong the other is weaker most of the time. Would nice to have two strong teams and a great rivalry between the two most succesfull teams in England. And then show them who is the best club of all time.

 

[Maticmaker]

Then on the pitch you can't do so much of what you used to be able to in regards to tackles, physicality etc

This is what I miss the Keane's, Hunter's, etc. and the famous ongoing duels, e.g. the two Dave's, Hickson (Everton) and Ewing (Man City) soon as the ball came anywhere near them they charged at each other like mad bulls. I am sure each manager told them to 'watch it', but of course in them days no live football on TV, everything behind the ref's back, linesmen stayed out of it if they knew what was good for them running the line less than a yard from the fans, ( ) those were the days.
Remember one game at Maine road (though a United fan I use to go to City with my mate, you did in them days) stood near the tunnel and when Hickson and Ewing came off at half time they both looked as though they had done ten rounds in the ring, bruises, teeth loose/bleeding, legs below the knee black and blue and studiously ignoring each other.

Sorry, this is about PL rivalry... I would say Spurs.

 

[jadaba]

A rivalry with Liverpool would feel more substantial because it comes with the claim to be England's greatest club historically.

But in a decade I'm sure PL will mean Pro League so I wouldn't mind a rivalry with Juventus.