Manchester United vs Arsenal once used to be a title-deciding fixture in the late 90s and early 2000s and thought the fixture’s intensity has come down in recent times, it remains a glamour matchup. In the Premier League era, Manchester United and Arsenal are the 2 most successful teams and that translated into a rivalry that would go on to define iconic moments in the English Premier League.
The matches between the two teams assumed significance in the 1990s when the domestic league became a 2-way tie between a London club and a Manchester Club. The geographies of the two cities contributed to the rivalry and so did the intriguing battle between 2 of the longest serving managers in the England – Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. Obviously, sparks flew when these two clubs met and a war of words between the 2 managers only added fuel to the fire.
There were several iconic clashes between the two clubs. One of the most famous among was the infamous ‘Battle of Old Trafford’ in 2003. Arsenal drew 0-0 at Old Trafford during their ‘Invincible season’ but the game was far from being dull. Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was sent off late and then United were awarded a penalty in stoppage time for Keown’s foul on Diego Forlan. Ruud van Nistelrooy missed the resulting penalty, which led to ugly scenes when Arsenal players confronted the Dutchman which led to a scuffle. Arsenal would go on a record 49 games unbeaten run which was ended by United in the next season, after a 2-0 result which was later dubbed the 'Battle of the Buffet'.
Another famous incident was the league game at Highbury between the two sides in 2005, when Vieira and Keane had to be separated by referee Graham Poll following a fracas in the tunnel before the match. That would set the tone for an intense game in which United would run out 4-2 winners. Recently, there was also the 8-2 drubbing United handed out to the Gunners in 2011 and the 3-0 dismantling of LvG’s United by Arsenal.
The 2 clubs have met in the Champions League once, in 2009, when United got the better of their rivals 4-1 on aggregate. The rivalry between the 2 clubs is set to be escalated further after Jose Mourinho took over United this season. Wenger’s feud with Mourinho is well-known and Mourinho enjoys playing against Wenger. He has never lost to Wenger in the league though Wenger had the last laugh in the 2015 Community Shield.
Head-to-Head record (all competitions):-
| Total Meetings | 223 |
| Manchester United Wins | 96 |
| Draws | 46 |
| Arsenal Wins | 81 |
