Liverpool FC biggest football rivalries

Founded 130 years ago, Liverpool Football Club are one of England’s most notable and successful teams throughout their history.

They have been a mainstay in the Premier League since its formation and debut season back in 1992/93 and a great pick with soccer odds each season for competing for a trophy.

Domestically, Liverpool have won 19 league titles, eight FA Cups, a record nine League Cups and 16 FA Community Shields. On the continent, Liverpool has won six European Cups, three UEFA Cups and four UEFA Super Cups, which is the most of any English side. They also have one FIFA World Club Cup title.

While managers like Jurgen Klopp, Rafael Benitez, Kenny Dalgleish and Bill Shankly have guided the team to some dominant periods in English and European football, they couldn’t have done it without some of the worlds bet players at their disposal.

Kenny Dalglish went on to manage the side after being one of their best ever players having been brought in to replace the departing legend of Kevin Keegan and managed to score the winning goal in the 1978 European Cup Final in his first season. They have since had players like all-time leading scorer for the club Ian Rush, Steve McManaman, John Barnes, Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, and Mohamed Salah to idolize throughout the decades.

As Liverpool continued to be a top side in world football, their rivalries built as local teams and regular foes looked to get the upper hand.

Everton

Their city rivals and neighbours. The city is split in half, one side red and one side blue. Everton who represents the blue half have been the little brothers throughout their rivalry. They will go into every derby game as the underdogs; the team with the lower budget and despite their decorated history, it is still some way behind Liverpool’s.

When the Merseyside Derby comes around, the city is electric. The form guide goes out of the window and no matter where either side is in the league, they will both feel they have the chance to win. While Everton will often be underdogs in the sports betting, their fans and the players will demand victory in what is often referred to as the Friendly Derby.

Manchester United

The battle in the north-west of England between two of the country’s most successful sides has been going on for decades. As Manchester United looked to challenge and knock Liverpool off their perch form their 1970s and 1980s and it was the reds from Manchester who dominated English football in the 1990s and 2000s under Sir Alex Ferguson.

As the shift in power occurred the rivalry continued to grow, and we see a much closer competition between the two with fans feeling this clash is more important than the ones against their own city rivalries. This is no ‘friendly derby’, these games are often seen as vital and we have seen Liverpool take the upper hand in recent years with the high energy, pressing style while Manchester United have struggled to form an identity after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Chelsea

Pre-Premier League, these games would not have been considered all that important to Liverpool fans, but once Roman Abramovich took over and Chelsea looked to buy their way into the title challenger bracket, a rivalry built between the two clubs from either end of the country.

The London based side splashed the cash to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres in 2011 for a British record transfer fee of £50 million after playing a big role in getting Liverpool to get back to their best.  While the money was accepted, the fans hated they had lost their star to the side from West London and from then on, the two sides have built a new rivalry which remain fierce today.

Manchester City

Like Chelsea, Manchester City have built a new rivalry with Liverpool after a big takeover ensured they could buy the best players in the world to compete for Premier League titles regularly.

The Citizens have gone on to win five of the last six Premier League titles, with Liverpool winning one in the middle of this run in 2019/20.

Manchester City and Liverpool have built a rivalry focused on the exciting and attacking football each brings which neutrals are able to sit back and enjoy. Their rivalry is more on the field than off it, with Klopp and Pep Guardiola doing battle to prepare and set their teams up to gain the tactical advantages each time they meet.

As Guardiola looks to continue building one of the most envied coaching CVs of all time, Liverpool sees their rivals as the pinnacle of quality of football which they are confident in competing against too. This rivalry is one for all to enjoy, the attacking quality of both is very easy on the eye.