Who are Arsenal’s biggest rivals? The Gunners’ top five fiercest football rivalries

Arsenal are one of English football's most historic clubs, and with that comes a long list of opponents who have developed varying degrees of dislike for the Gunners.

Some rivalries are built on geography, while others have been forged through years of competing for major honours.

Few clubs have such a clear-cut local enemy as Arsenal do, but the Gunners have also developed fierce sporting rivalries with some of England's biggest teams. The strength of those feuds has changed over time, with some now more historic than relevant to the modern Premier League.

From London nemeses Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to top-flight heavyweights Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, FootballGroundGuide takes a look at Arsenal's five fiercest football rivalries.

Tottenham Hotspur

There can be no argument over Arsenal's biggest rivalry. The North London derby is built on proximity, history and genuine mutual dislike, with the roots of the feud stretching back more than a century.

Arsenal's controversial move from Woolwich to Highbury in 1913 brought the club into Tottenham's territory, but it was the events following the First World War that really inflamed relations. Arsenal were controversially promoted into the expanded First Division at Tottenham's expense, creating a sporting grudge that has endured ever since.

The rivalry has produced plenty of iconic moments, but few are more bitter than Sol Campbell's decision to leave Spurs for Arsenal on a free transfer in 2001. Branded “Judas” by some Tottenham supporters, Campbell became one of very few players to make the direct switch.

Arsenal have also twice celebrated major achievements at White Hart Lane, winning the 1971 title there before securing the Premier League and the Invincibles' unbeaten season with a 2-2 draw in 2004.

St Totteringham's Day added another annual source of bragging rights.

Chelsea

Arsenal's rivalry with Chelsea is another product of London geography, although its intensity grew considerably as the Blues became a Premier League superpower in the 2000s.

The two clubs have frequently competed for major trophies, ensuring that the fixture has carried much more significance than a straightforward local derby.

The move of Ashley Cole from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2006 added plenty of spice, while the 2007 League Cup final descended into chaos as Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor and John Obi Mikel were all sent off following a mass confrontation.

There have also been some memorable footballing encounters. Arsenal's 5-3 victory at Stamford Bridge in 2011 was an extraordinary Premier League classic, while Chelsea's 4-1 win in the 2019 Europa League final provided a painful European evening for the Gunners.

For all the animosity, though, there remains no substitute for Arsenal's hatred of Tottenham.

Manchester United

For much of the Premier League's formative years, Arsenal's fiercest sporting rivalry came against Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger went head-to-head for 17 seasons, with their teams regularly fighting for the biggest prize in English football, making it one of the more iconic rivalries post-1992.

The individual battles became almost as famous as the results, particularly Patrick Vieira against Roy Keane. Their confrontation in the Highbury tunnel in 2005 perfectly captured the aggression between the clubs, while earlier meetings had produced countless flashpoints and psychological battles.

Arsenal and United dominated the Premier League at different points between 1996 and 2004, with each manager bringing world-class players into English football and pushing the other to improve.

The rivalry subsequently cooled as Arsenal fell away from the title picture, although Robin van Persie's controversial move from Arsenal to United in 2012 reignited some of the old resentment.

Manchester City

This is arguably Arsenal's most significant modern rivalry.

Manchester City have emerged as the dominant force of the Premier League era, while the Gunners have spent the last few seasons attempting to knock them off their perch.

The roots of the rivalry date back to City's takeover-driven transformation after 2008. Arsenal lost important players, including Emmanuel Adebayor and Samir Nasri to City, while Arsene Wenger was openly critical of their financial model. City subsequently won their first league title since 1968 and established themselves as a regular threat to Arsenal.

The rivalry reached another level when Arsenal and City competed directly for the Premier League title in 2022-23 and again in 2023-24, with Pep Guardiola's side prevailing on both occasions.

Arsenal finally got the better of them in the 2025-26 campaign, adding another chapter to an increasingly important fixture.

The Pep Guardiola vs Mikel Arteta dynamic, with master facing student, only added to the intrigue before the Spaniard left the Etihad Stadium in the summer.

Liverpool

Liverpool may not carry the same intensity as Tottenham or any of the other clubs mentioned, but historically they have been among Arsenal's most important opponents.

The two clubs repeatedly fought for major honours during the 1970s, 1980s and beyond, producing some unforgettable meetings.

Arsenal's 1971 FA Cup final victory over Liverpool completed a league and cup double, while their most famous meeting came in 1989. Needing to win at Anfield by two clear goals to snatch the title, Arsenal produced one of English football's greatest finishes as Michael Thomas scored in the 90th minute to win the league.

Liverpool eventually got their revenge in the 2001 FA Cup final, when Michael Owen's late double denied Arsenal another trophy.

The rivalry has never carried the same disdain as Tottenham, but with both clubs consistently competing near the top of the English game, meetings between them have rarely lacked importance.