Arsenal's biggest rivals: Who are the Gunner’s biggest opponents?

English football and rivalries date back to the earliest days of the sport. Arsenal, being one of the top soccer teams in the world, are no exception, and as one of seven clubs based in London, they have never been short of opponents to face on the field. Some of Arsenal's biggest rivals include legendary clubs such as Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester United.

Although various reasons have fuelled the fierce rivalry between English clubs throughout history, location and fans have played the most significant role. For instance, the long-standing animosities between Wales and England and other bigger provinces that host derby games have produced some of the fiercest rivalries in soccer history.

A list of Arsenal's biggest rivals

The Gunners have been competing in the English top-tier league since its inception, and over the years, they have created several rivals. With the coming of Mikel Arteta and Arsenal cementing their place in the top four, the rivalry has only gotten fiercer.

According to Daily Cannon, here is a list of Gunner's biggest opponents, ranging from London derbies to Premier League competitors from the north.

Tottenham

The North London derby is famously dubbed as the head-to-head collision between North London-based clubs Tottenham and Arsenal. The rivalry between the two football teams dates back to 1913 when the Gunners moved to North London from Woolwich.

As of 2023, the two English clubs have played 194 games, and Arsenal have won 81 times, Tottenham 61 times and 52 matches ended in a draw. Over the past few years, both clubs have been competing for the elusive Champions League slot, striving to be in the top four.

So, who is Arsenal's main rival? Undoubtedly, the Gunners' biggest opponents are Tottenham. Due to their competitive nature, the North London derby has become one of the world's most famous and viewed football derbies, with millions of followers from all over the globe.

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West Ham United

West Ham supporters' animosity for Arsenal during the North and West London derbies has surely generated headlines in the competition. When the club confirmed the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal, West Ham fans were unhappy with the decision.

With the Gunners signing the Hammers golden boy, the Hammers' fan base has been severely damaged, and thus, their rivalry may grow fiercer than ever before. However, regarding trophies, the Gunners are way ahead of West Ham.

Chelsea

Chelsea and the Gunners have been rivals for years, and their hatred only skyrocketed in 2004 when Abramovich took over the Blues and poured millions into the club for them to compete for titles, thus pushing the Gunners down the Premier League table.

Arsenal's biggest rivalry with Chelsea worsened when Chelsea approached Ashley Cole, one of the Gunners' most promising players, and encouraged him to join them despite coming up through their academy.

Manchester City

Manchester City is among the clubs that pushed the Gunners down the table due to financial doping. They accomplished this by signing their finest players, including Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri.

There was no rivalry between the two clubs when the Gunners were in the middle of the table for some seasons. However, the arrival of Mikel Arteta at Emirates has brought back the Gunners glory days and is currently giving Manchester City a run for their money.

Manchester United

The rivalry between the two teams heated up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when they began to battle often for the EPL championship and the FA Cup, a tournament in which the Gunners have maintained dominance.

Because of this fierce competition, the managers at the time, Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson, were occasionally embroiled in a nasty quarrel. Both managers pushed world-class players to the forefront of English football, resulting in several notable individual clashes.

But their rivalry has waned since both teams' fortunes have recently declined. However, the perspective of commentators and impartial supporters has essentially been replaced by Manchester City and Liverpool, Guardiola vs Klopp.

Wolves

The Gunners and Wolves rivalry has been hitting the headlines since Wolves beat them during the 2020/21 season to secure a top-six spot in the table. Conor Coady's remarks still ring clearly in the aftermath of the horrible clash between Raul Jimenez and David Luiz.

Fulham

Despite their numerous meetings in the league, FA Cup, and other important competitions, the rivalry between the two teams is not that strong.

Liverpool

The Gunners-Liverpool rivalry has been going on for decades now. Both clubs are legends on the field and have outshined each other on various occasions.

The two clubs have effectively recovered and are now viable Premier League challengers this season, alongside Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Both sides have great objectives and have shown high ambitions in every encounter in recent years.

Who are Arsenal's rivals?

Ever wondered who are Arsenal's biggest rivals? The Gunners have several opponents, such as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Manchester City, West Ham and Chelsea, among others.

What is Arsenal's biggest defeat?

The Gunners experienced their worst defeat as an act of revenge in 1896. Loughborough defeated them 8-0, which remains their largest margin of defeat to this day.

Who is Arsenal's rival outside the Premier League?

Barcelona became the Gunners' rival due to a feud created by Cesc Fabregas. He had a long-term deal with Arsenal, but Barcelona wanted him.

Cesc was a Barcelona young player who did not appear to have a place in the senior squad, so when Wenger assured him he would play him in the league if he left Barcelona, he did. He ended up being a great player, and thus, the rivalry between the two clubs started.

Although Arsenal's biggest rivals are in the Premier League, they have created other enemies outside the league due to participating in other top-tier competitions such as the FA and the UEFA Champions League. Despite being defeated by their competitors in various encounters, they are still a force to be reckoned with especially with Arteta as their manager.

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