Ahead of a huge weekend of derbies in the Premier League, as Everton face Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal. But which one is the biggest?
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Now, before we get into this, it is important to specify the difference between a derby and a rivalry as our broadcast crew did right here.
A derby is a term used in England specifically for matches between teams who are based in the same city or towns extremely close to eachother. A rivalry is a match between two teams who do not get along but may be separated by a larger geographical area. Example: Liverpool and Manchester United is a huge rivalry, but they are separated by over 30 miles (a long distance in little old England) and are in different cities. So, it’s not a derby.
Below is a list of the biggest derbies in the PL. And you can vote on which one you think is best. So, which one gets your vote?
North London derby - Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Just five miles separate the two clubs and the northern half of England’s capital is split in half. Spurs or Arsenal? It’s that simple. Both teams have been in the PL since is inception but the Gunners lead the all-time series 66-48-54 and have won league titles and multiple trophies in recent years.
Merseyside derby - Everton vs. Liverpool - An in-depth look
There’s less than a mile between Everton’s Goodison Park home and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium. That means families across the City of Liverpool are divided and although this rivalry is fierce on game day, for the rest of the year families and friends get along. Both teams have been in the PL since its inception, but Liverpool have been far more successful over the years with league titles and European cups galore.
Manchester derby - Manchester City vs. Manchester United - An in-depth look
Ah, the upstarts. Manchester City are seriously putting a dent in United’s dominance. Only five miles separates Old Trafford from the Etihad Stadium and Man United have notoriously towered over their rivals. However, after being taken over by Sheikh Mansour the Citizens have won two PL titles in the past three years and are the top dogs in Manchester. Can United claw some ground back?
Tyne-Wear derby - Newcastle United vs. Sunderland
These two are tucked away from everybody else in the far north east and are massive clubs. Just 15 miles separates Sunderland from Newcastle and although they rally together to protect the north east, this derby is huge. St James’ Park holds over 51,000 and the Stadium of Light holds over 49,000. Two of the best supported teams in the PL who have had their ups and downs (mostly downs) have some of the most fanatical supporters around.
The multitude of London derbies...
There’s some pretty big games here as Chelsea vs. West Ham, Spurs vs. Chelsea, Spurs vs. West Ham, plus Arsenal vs. Chelsea, then chuck Crystal Palace and QPR into the mix and there’s almost a London derby every weekend in the PL. Arsenal vs. Spurs is the big one though.
Any others?
The rest of the Premier League is scattered with regional rivalries here and there, Aston Villa vs. West Bromwich Albion and/or Leicester City spring to mind, but most of those derbies aren’t as intense as other, more local clubs have slipped out of the PL. See: Villa vs. Birmingham City. Southampton vs. Portsmouth. Swansea vs. Cardiff etc.
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