While not as geographical or historical as other club rivalries, there’s absolutely no love lost between Manchester United and Arsenal. Here are our five favourite clashes between Sunday’s two sides…
The early brawls
United and Arsenal had been playing each other for almost a century before Sir Alex Ferguson’s arrival at Old Trafford. The two teams first played one another in their earliest guises, as Newton Heath and Woolwich Arsenal, back in 1894, and even met in the 1979 FA Cup Final.
Nevertheless, Fergie believed that the rivalry was first stoked in his very first encounter with Arsenal in 1987, when George Graham was in the opposition dugout. It was a tempestuous affair that saw David Rocastle receive his marching orders for retaliating against midfield nuisance Norman Whiteside.
The following year, Nigel Winterburn got involved in some afters when Brian McClair missed a last-gasp penalty – a portent of things to come. The pair were in the thick of it again in 1990 when Winterburn took issue with a meaty Denis Irwin challenge and left a big one on his opposite number. McClair duly piled in, sparking a 21-man brawl where only the lovely David Seaman didn’t get involved.
Remarkably, despite the shocking tackles and ensuing melee, only two yellow cards were issued (to Winterburn and Gunners midfielder Andreas Limpar). The Swede had opened the scoring earlier in the game and would ultimately have the last laugh, as Arsenal held on to win 1-0 at Old Trafford.
An FA Cup all-timer
A game so iconic it has its own dedicated Wikipedia page. The 1999 FA Cup semi-final between defending champions Arsenal and Treble-chasers United.
David Beckham opened the scoring early doors with a superb first-time strike, but a deflected shot from Dennis Bergkamp drew Arsenal level. United looked likely to be the architects of their own downfall after Roy Keane’s second-yellow head loss and a penalty given away by serial offender Phil Neville, only for Peter Schmeichel to deny Bergkamp a second from twelve yards.
With the game taken to extra time and United’s ten men tiring, a moment of brilliance from Ryan Giggs decided the tie in the Red Devils’ favour. Fans watched in disbelief as the Welshman slalomed past half of the Gunners’ wary defence before slotting past Seaman and whipping his top off.
The Battle of Old Trafford
Was this one of the most memorable no score draws in Premier League history? It certainly was for Arsenal fans.
Two physically-minded midfields jostled for possession in a full-blooded encounter, with the two teams committing 31 fouls between them. Patrick Vieira would pick up two yellow cards in quick succession, the second of which came when retaliating to a bad Ruud van Nistelrooy challenge.
The Dutchman had the chance to be the hero with stoppage time approaching, only to hit the crossbar. Veteran defender Martin Keown, who had given away the spot kick, leapt into the air and Ruud’s personal space, confronting the striker with barely-constrained fury.
The Gunners would go on to avoid defeat in their next 32 league games, completing the first ever ‘invincible’ Premier League season.
The Battle of the Buffet (aka Pizzagate)
Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles were still untouchable in the first throes of the 2004-05 season, winning eight of their first nine fixtures and drawing the other, but a trip to Old Trafford put their impervious form in jeopardy.
Another game, another controversial penalty call. There was plenty of bloody and thunder on display, with tackles flying in from all angles, but the most decisive challenge was the one with the least contact. Wayne Rooney went down in the box, falling over Sol Campbell’s outstretched leg, convincing Mike Riley to point to the spot.
Ruud van Nistelrooy redeemed himself from the spot, coolly sending Jens Lehmann the wrong way, before Rooney himself made the game safe in stoppage time.
The game itself was soon overshadowed by its aftermath. Afters in the tunnel escalated, with both Wenger and Ferguson very much amongst it all. In the ensuing confrontation, a slice of pizza was hurled across the tunnel directly into Sir Alex Ferguson’s face.
The culprit was long rumoured to be a teenage Cesc Fabregas: he wisely waited for Fergie to retire before confirming said rumours.
“I’ll see you out there”
Finally, one of the classic Roy Keane moments, which took place before a ball (or Frenchman) had been kicked.
In the Battle of the Buffet, Jose Antonio Reyes came in for some particularly rough treatment from Gary Neville, who could have easily seen red on more than one occasion for a series of cynical fouls on the Spaniard.
Prior to the return fixture at Highbury, Vieira confronted Neville about this in the tunnel, drawing the ire of a certain Roy Keane. The two were involved in a heated exchange, with Keane visibly riled up and requiring a calming word from referee Graham Poll.
Both Vieira and Keane would keep their emotions in check when the whistle went – in fact, the Gunners captain opened the scoring – but United would ultimately triumph 4-2. Ironically, one Frenchman was sent off in the second half: United centre-half Mikael Silvestre.