Liverpool's rivals: Who are they, and what is the driving force behind these rivalries?

Liverpool are one of England's most successful clubs. Like every top club, they have several fierce rivals and games between them tend to have more to play for than just points or cups. Today, we look at Liverpool's rivals and discuss the roots of the animosity between the teams.

Liverpool FC is named after England's largest port city, Liverpool, where they are based. They play all their home games at Anfield Stadium. They also own a modern training facility known as the AXA training centre in Kirkby, which hosts all the teams associated with Liverpool, from the main men's and women's senior teams to the youth squads.

When was Liverpool founded?

Liverpool was founded in 1892 by John Houlding. They joined the First Division in 1893 and have since gone on to become the most successful club in the history of the English League. The team has 19 top-flight league titles, eight FA Cup titles, eight League Cup titles, three UEFA Cup titles and five European Cup titles.

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Football

Why are Manchester United and Liverpool rivals?

Manchester United and Liverpool are widely considered archrivals. The two are the most successful teams in Britain and are only separated by 35 kilometres. The regional rivalry has its roots outside football as in the 19th century, railway and port workers from the two different areas intensely disliked each other, and that boiled down to football matches. Games between the two are usually marked with aggressiveness and intensity.

Liverpool and Everton's hometown rivalry

Liverpool and Everton share an animosity that dates back to the origins of Liverpool. Liverpool moved into Anfield in 1892 because Everton had just vacated the stadium to go to Goodison Park, which is several kilometres down the road. The two fight for bragging rights in their local area, resulting in every game between them being declared the Merseyside derby.

Are Chelsea and Liverpool rivals?

Liverpool and Chelsea's rivalry became more prominent in the 21st century as both teams started competing for top honours. One of the key factors was the 2004/2005 UEFA Champions League semi-final, where Liverpool's Luis Garcia scored a controversial 'Ghost Goal' to send Chelsea home. Their respective captains at the time, Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Chelsea's Frank Lampard, competed for the same position in the English national team.

Are Arsenal and Liverpool rivals?

Liverpool and Arsenal have been fierce competitors over the years. A crucial moment in the rivalry was the last game of the domestic league in the 1988/1989 season, where Arsenal's Michael Thomas scored a last-minute goal at Anfield to deny Liverpool the title. Ten years later, Michael Owen repaid the favour in the 2000 FA Cup final, scoring twice to deny Arsenal the title.

Are Tottenham and Liverpool rivals?

Liverpool and Spurs have shared some competitive encounters over the years, especially in the Premier League, though Liverpool has primarily had the advantage. Their largest match-up was during the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, where Liverpool won 2-0.

Are Real Madrid and Liverpool rivals?

In terms of rivalries between big European clubs, Liverpool and Real Madrid have the biggest compared to the others. The two have contested in two European Cup finals, with Liverpool beating Real Madrid in the 1982 final and Real Madrid returning the favour several decades later in 2021. Real Madrid has a record 13 European Cup titles, while Liverpool has a respectable tally of 5.

Wrapping up

By virtue of being one of the world's most successful and popular clubs, Liverpool has a long list of rivals who battle with the club every season for top honours. As one popular phrase usually states, ' To be the best, you have to beat the best'.

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