'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has named four Arsenal players he used to dislike the most.
The Red Devils shared a fierce rivalry with the Gunners at the start of the millennium. They used to be the best two sides in English football, managed by Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger respectively.
Giggs, who was a key cog in the Manchester United side, admitted that he had no time for any of the Arsenal players and specifically disliked four of their stars. The Welshman insisted the rivalry between the two sides was not just limited to the pitch.
The 13-time Premier League winner admitted that he hated Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp. He told The Daily Mail:
"I didn't like Arsenal. I didn't like Vieira because he was dirty and got away with murder. I didn't like Petit because he had long hair. I didn't like Bergkamp. I didn't like Pires even though when you meet him now he's actually dead nice. I wouldn't even look at them, didn't know them and didn't want to. I wouldn't allow myself to rate any of them."
Giggs insisted that the friction between the Red Devils and the Gunners eclipsed the fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool. He added:
"Bergkamp? Nah, I told myself he wasn't as good as Eric Cantona. I wasn't really that kind of person. It wasn’t really me. But you had to get that in your head, that intense dislike. It was pure motivation. But deep down we knew. They were top-drawer and that rivalry was everything to us. Deeper even than Liverpool at that time."
Manchester United and Arsenal still remain fierce competitors. But they are arguably not the biggest rivalry in English football now, with both teams going through relatively tougher times in recent years.
Arsenal prepared to trigger release clause of Manchester United target
Arsenal are reportedly willing to trigger the release clause of Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, who has been widely linked with a potential switch to Liverpool and Manchester United. The 22-year-old has been catching the eye with his exploits for Sporting CP and looks like a world-class defender in the making.
Since making his first-team debut in 2020, Inacio has made 143 appearances for Sporting. He is a solid defender with aerial prowess and is excellent on the ball.
Inacio is also quite effective at the other end of the pitch, having scored 14 goals and provided eight assists. He is capped four times for Portugal and has found the back of the net on two occasions.
Manchester United and Liverpool have previously been linked with a move for the left-footed defender. However, Arsenal have also expressed their interest in the Portugal international and could make a move in January.
