A Gooner’s Perspective on One of Football’s Fiercest Clashes
Por el adicto al Arsenal
When you talk about iconic Premier League rivalries, Arsenal vs. Manchester United stands at the very top. This wasn’t just about football it was war, passion, personalities, and, in some cases, pure injustice.
Back in the day, Arsenal stood as the rebels against the establishment. United were the darlings of the media, the poster boys of English football the “Busby Babes” legacy living on through Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominance. Meanwhile, Arsenal, under George Graham and later Bruce Rioch, were tough, gritty, and often painted as the villains. And then came Arsène Wenger.
“Arsène who?” they said. But it didn’t take long for that question to be answered with titles, trophies, and a brand of football England hadn’t seen before. The battles with Ferguson’s United were legendary. From David Platt’s towering header in 1997 to seal a dramatic 3-2 win at Highbury, to the heartbreak of Villa Park when Dennis Bergkamp missed that fateful penalty and Vieira’s misplaced pass led to a gut-wrenching defeat these moments shaped the Premier League era.
But what started as a fair contest eventually began to stink of something more sinister.
Ferguson seemed to have the FA wrapped around his finger. The treatment of José Antonio Reyes (RIP) at the hands of the Neville brothers and Paul Scholes was nothing short of brutal. Then came that dive by Wayne Rooney the moment that ended Arsenal’s legendary 49-game unbeaten run. One of the most egregious moments, though, was Steve Bennett falling for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s theatrics. Patrick Vieira gestured, van Nistelrooy flopped, and Vieira was sent off. To rub salt in the wound, van Nistelrooy later won a dubious penalty only for Martin Keown to make sure he remembered it with that infamous confrontation at the final whistle. That moment remains a highlight for every Gooner.
United’s decline in recent years? Honestly, it’s been cathartic. At first, the rivalry was just that a fierce competition. But then came the corruption, the cynical tactics, and the reckless spending. “Free” transfers for big names like Falcao and Zlatan, ballooning wage bills, and a revolving door of managers and failed signings. Still, what makes United hardest to stomach is their fanbase.
Now, not all United fans are unbearable. Some are decent, humble, and well-informed. But the majority? Delusional and entitled. They’ve never truly come to terms with their fall from grace, clinging to past glories and acting as if a return to dominance is inevitable. They cry foul at every turn, yet turn a blind eye to the decades they spent as the golden children of the FA.
Their recent struggles have been a long time coming. Despite moments of brilliance from De Gea, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho, Amad Diallo, and even Hotpoint (as some fans jokingly call Højlund), their inconsistency and arrogance continue to hold them back.
Sure, Spurs fans are unbearable, especially when they occasionally win something, and Liverpool fans have their moments but United fans? They take the cake.
That’s why, when the fixture list drops, the first two games I check are Arsenal vs. United home and away. Then come City, Liverpool, and finally, Spurs. Because no matter what, this fixture still gets the blood pumping like no other.
