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Liverpool Vs Manchester City Is Now Biggest Rivalry In English Football, Says Ex-England Star

Liverpool Vs Manchester City Is Now Biggest Rivalry In English Football, Says Ex-England Star

"It’s the new Manchester United vs Liverpool," claims pundit.

Alex Reid

Alex Reid

Liverpool vs Manchester City is now the biggest rivalry in English football, according to former England international and ex-City star Trevor Sinclair.

Comparing it to the time when Manchester United vs Arsenal became a must-watch rivalry in the late '90s and early 2000s, Sinclair told talkSPORT: "This is the biggest rivalry in English football right now.

"Manchester City and Liverpool - 100%. It's the new Manchester United vs Arsenal, it's the new Manchester United vs Liverpool.

"I think this is the most anticipated fixture in English football and it has been for the last few years."

Sinclair's view comes from the fact that City and Liverpool have been the best Premier League sides of the last few seasons. The clubs had an incredible battle for the title in 2018-19, as City won the league with 98 points to Liverpool's 97.

Even the year before that, when Pep Guardiola's centurions won the league by a far greater margin, they had to handle Liverpool knocking them out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals. And of course, Jurgen Klopp's Reds are the Premier League champions, City finishing a distant second last term.

Yet a lot of this depends how you define a rivalry. Many neutrals have salivated over Liverpool vs Man City clashes for the quality of the football and the fact they have been viewed as potential title-deciders.

But a lot of fans will point to the history between two clubs and their supporters playing a massive part in what makes up a 'big' rivalry.

Traditionally, north-west giants Manchester United and Liverpool - the two most successful and widely-supported clubs in England - have been viewed as the biggest rivals. Although both clubs also have their city rivals Everton and Man City. Then there's other heated derbies, such as Arsenal vs Tottenham.

Sinclair's comparison to Arsenal vs Man United, when Alex Ferguson's team and Arsene Wenger's side would engage in titanic struggles, might seem a fair comparison. There was also a stage in the early 2000s when Jose Mourinho's Chelsea and Rafa Benitez's Liverpool became a must-see game as the clubs were continually facing one another at home and in Europe.

However, those eras did not permanently alter the biggest rival for either club.

Many people expected Liverpool and Manchester City to be fighting it out for the title again this season, although Manchester United currently divide the clubs in the Premier League standings. But all eyes will be on the Etihad when City host Liverpool on Sunday.

Has the intensity of the Liverpool vs Manchester City tussles pushed it to the No 1 rivalry in English football? Let us know in the comments.

Featured image credit: PA Images

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Topics: Manchester City, Liverpool, Football News, Football, Trevor Sinclair, Premier League