Derby Week: Liverpool and Manchester - engines of English football
The two teams are separated by just 50 kilometres and were linked by the world's first intercity railway in 1830. By the end of the 19th century, relations between the two cities had become heated.
This was because Manchester industrialists built their own shipping canal, which more or less follows the natural waterway from Liverpool harbour down the River Mersey. They no longer wanted to pay the exorbitant sums that Liverpool charged them for importing goods.
Manchester had thus also become one of the most important seaports in the world, and the competition between the two cities had reached an all-time high.
By the end of the 19th century, football, which was closely linked to the development of industry in England, was also gaining social prestige. The rivalry between Manchester and Liverpool grew from factories and trading exchanges to football grounds.
The rivalry in the English north-west has been intensified by the fact that both cities have developed very successful clubs, and two of them even became the best in England - Liverpool and Manchester United.
Both giants are at the top of the rankings of English clubs with the most trophies. Liverpool, who claimed their 68th trophy by winning the League Cup final in February, are currently in the lead. United have won the English top-flight the most (20), while Liverpool are only one short of equalling this record.
Over the years, especially in the second half of the 20th century, the two clubs have taken turns in the limelight of English (and European) football. Liverpool's golden era from the 1970s to the 1980s meant that the Red Devils of Manchester had to wait 26 years for the title.
Conversely, during United's dominance in the 1990s and early millennium, the Reds experienced a "drought", going without a title for as long as three decades. The strained relationship between the two rivals is evidenced by the fact that transfers do not occur from one to the other. The last player to do so was Phil Chisnall in 1964.
The biggest rivalry in English football
Liverpool and Manchester United also have their own city rivals. The battle for Liverpool between them and Everton is called the Merseyside derby after the river that empties into the Irish Sea, and the Manchester derby is, of course, a battle between United and City.
The rivalry between Liverpool and United has been named the North-West derby after the whole region. Despite the fact that in recent years Manchester City has clearly ranked among England's top teams, historically the North-West derby between the Reds and the Red Devils is still the strongest and hottest rivalry.
Of the 213 matches between them so far, United have the better record (83 wins), Liverpool have won 71 duels and 59 have ended in draws. Liverpool, however, have the all-time top derby scorer Mohamed Salah (13 goals) in their ranks.
The players themselves and all United supporters are haunted in their dreams by last season's record loss to their eternal rivals - in March 2023, the Reds smashed the Red Devils 7-0.
The last North-West derby in the FA Cup quarter-finals brought many twists and turns in a thrilling contest that United won 4-3 after extra time. Just three weeks later, on Sunday, April 7th at 15:30 BST, the derby will be played on Premier League soil, again in Manchester.
Other derbies of the week
Wednesday, April 3rd
Greece - Super League
Athenian derby
Athens, the capital of Greece, is home to the so-called Big Three, the three most successful clubs in the country. They are Olympiakos (47 titles), Panathinaikos (20) and AEK (13, reigning champion). Derby Week has described the relationship between the three of them before. AEK is first in the extra group for the title, Panathinaikos third.
Croatia - Hrvatski nogometni kup (Cup)
Vječni derby (Eternal derby)
The old rivals from Croatia's two biggest cities - Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split - clashed in the league on Saturday, March 30 (1-0 to Dinamo) and on Wednesday the so-called Eternal Derby will be played again, in the semi-finals of the Croatian Cup and again in Split.
Friday, April 5th
Ireland - Premier Division
St. Patricks - Shamrock Rovers
South Dublin derby
The rivalry between Dublin clubs St. Patricks and Shamrock Rovers has only been growing in recent years. This is because Shamrock Rovers, Ireland's most successful club, moved in 2009 to the new Tallaght Stadium in the south of the capital, where St. Patricks used to dominate football.
Saturday, April 6th
Australia - A-League
Melbourne Victory - Melbourne City
Melbourne derby (Melbourne derby)
Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia after Sydney. It is home to five million people and two of the biggest club clubs. They have a very even record together - both have won 15 derbies, and 13 matches have ended in a draw. City and Victory have won three championship titles each.
England - Championship
Old Farm Derby
The eastern part of England is an important farming area due to its fertile soil. The tussle between the two biggest clubs there is therefore called the Old Farm Derby, a pun on the name of the famous Old Firm Derby in Glasgow between Celtic and Rangers. Derby Week has covered the Old Farm derby in more detail before.
Italy - Serie A
Derby della Capitale (Capital City Derby)
The Rome derby between AS and Lazio is one of the most exciting in the world. Lazio fans in particular are infamous for some of their antics.
Czech Republic - FORTUNA:LIGA
Slavia Prague - Bohemians 1905
Vršovice derby
In addition to the Prague "S" derby between the biggest clubs, Sparta and Slavia, various "small Prague derbies" take place in Prague. One of them is the match between Slavia and Bohemians 1905. Both teams are based in Vrsovice, where the tram stops only once between the Slavie and Bohemians stops.
Portugal - Primeira Liga
Derbi da Capital (Derby for the Capital)
The Lisbon derby in the semi-final of the Portuguese Cup ended in a 2-2 draw on Tuesday. They will compete in the league as well, as both rivals are currently in a direct battle for the title.
Brazil - Campeonato Cearense (State League)
Rei do Ceara (Match for the King of the State of Ceará)
Fortaleza operate at the national level in Brazil's top competition, while Ceara SC play in the second division. However, within the Ceara State League, these are the two biggest clubs that traditionally fight for the title. This is also the case this season. Now, a rematch of the playoff final is already on the schedule, with the first match ending 0-0.
Sunday, April 7th
USA - Major League Soccer
Los Angeles FC - Los Angeles Galaxy
El Trafico aka Los Angeles derby
Despite its short history, El Trafico is a derby full of goals, stars, and sold-out stadiums, but also controversy and mutual hatred. The derby's nickname comes from the fact that Los Angeles is notorious for horrible traffic jams. Derby Week told the story of El Trafico on the occasion of the most recent contest so far (LAFC won 4-2).
Netherlands - Eredivisie
Gelderse derby (Gelderland derby)
The cities of Arnhem and Nijmegen lie just 20 kilometres apart in the Dutch province of Gelderland. Arnhem is the provincial capital, the "office" centre for services and trade. Nijmegen is larger in population and is instead a predominantly working-class, industrial centre, hence the strong rivalry between the two clubs.
Scotland - Premiership
Old Firm derby
Rangers were founded in 1872, and the other of the big Glasgow clubs - Celtic - was founded "only" in 1887. The first mutual match, the first Glasgow derby, took place in 1888. Over time, the two teams became huge rivals and their duels came to be known as the Old Firm derby, which could be translated as the 'old friends' derby.
Bulgaria - Parva League
Vecnoto derby (Eternal derby)
CSKA and Levski clubs divided Bulgarian society into red and blue halves (in all possible meanings), especially during the days of the previous regime. Despite many escapades, including financial instability in the case of both clubs, and despite the domination of Ludogorets Razgrad, who have won the last 11 titles, CSKA and Levski are still the most popular clubs in the whole of Bulgaria.
Netherlands - Eredivisie
De Klassieker (The Classic)
Amsterdam is the capital and the largest city in the Netherlands in terms of population. Rotterdam is the second largest settlement and a huge port. There is a great rivalry between them, which is of course reflected in football. Ajax are the country's top team in terms of titles (36), while Feyenoord are third in the historical tables (16 titles).
Belgium - Jupiler Pro League
De Topper (Top Match)
This rivalry is historically the biggest game in Belgian football, especially for the Flemish, Dutch-speaking Belgian nation. Therefore, in Dutch (Flemish is just a dialect within Dutch) it is referred to as De Topper or De Klassieker (The Classic). De Topper will now run twice in the Belgian league as part of the extra round for the title.
Greece - Super League
AEK Athens - PAOK Thessaloniki
Double-headed eagles derby
The letter K in the case of both clubs' abbreviations refers to Constantinople (today's Istanbul). It was from here that the founders of both clubs, who were Greek refugees, were based (more in Derby Week, which covered the rivalries of the Athens clubs). The symbol of Constantinople is the double-headed eagle, another link between the two rivals.
Croatia - HNL
Jadranski derby (Adriatic derby)
The Adriatic derby between the two biggest clubs from the coastal Croatian cities of Rijeka and Split is famous for its raucous atmosphere, which is the responsibility of the fan groups of both clubs - the so-called Torcida of Hajduk Split and Armada, which is behind the HNK Rijeka footballers.
Turkey - Super Lig
Kitalararasi Derbi (Intercontinental Derby)
Galatasaray (23 Super Lig titles) and Fenerbahce (19 Super Lig titles) are the two most successful clubs in Turkey. Their derby is called the Intercontinental Derby because Fenerbahce is based on the Asian side of the Bosphorus Strait and Galatasaray is a club from the European side of Istanbul. This and other Istanbul derbies have been covered by Derby Week before.
Brazil - Campeonato Mineiro (National League)
Classico Mineiro
Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro are clubs from Belo Horizonte, the capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Their derby is referred to by the adjective "Mineiro", a so-called inhabitant name (demonym) for something that originates from Minas Gerais. Now Classico Mineiro is taking place in the state league finals. The first leg of the final doubleheader ended in a 2-2 draw, and now it's time for the deciding rematch.
