Although Arsenal and Manchester United have frequently been in the same division in English football since 1919, the rivalry between the two clubs only became a fierce one in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the teams regularly competed against each other for the Premier League title and the FA Cup. There was also an enmity between the managers, Arsenal's Arsène Wenger (1996–2018) and United's Sir Alex Ferguson (1986–2013), as well as club captains Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane. Their contests often involved on-field trouble – seven red cards were shown in matches from February 1997 to February 2005. The league fixture in September 2003, known as the "Battle of Old Trafford", was marred by a mêlée instigated by Arsenal players, who felt striker Ruud van Nistelrooy had cheated to get Vieira sent off. A season later, Manchester United ended Arsenal's unbeaten run in controversial circumstances, which led to more disorder, this time in the tunnel.
By 2008, former Arsenal player Lee Dixon noted that the rivalry had diminished. Ferguson also stated that the two teams' meetings had cooled from their previous "heated" exchanges. Other factors for the diminishing importance of the rivalry in the 2010s were the ascendancy of other clubs, including local rivals of both (Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City).
Arsenal and Manchester United first played a competitive match in October 1894; as of 25 January 2026, the clubs have faced each other 246 times, with United winning 100 games to Arsenal's 91, and 55 matches drawn. Wayne Rooney scored the most goals in the fixture (12), while Ryan Giggs made the highest number of appearances (50). Several players have featured for both clubs at different stages of their career, including Brian Kidd, Andy Cole, David Platt, Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Alexis Sánchez and George Graham.
History Origins A particularly memorable match between the two sides came on 1 February 1958, when they met in a league fixture at Highbury. It was the last league game that United played before the Munich air disaster five days later, which claimed the lives of eight of their players and saw two other players injured to such an extent that they never played again. United won the game 5–4, with goals from Tommy Taylor (twice), Duncan Edwards, Bobby Charlton and Dennis Viollet. Five of the United players who would lose their lives as a result of the crash took to the field in the game – captain and full-back Roger Byrne, right-half Eddie Colman, centre-half Mark Jones, left-half Edwards and centre-forward Taylor.
Another high-profile clash came more than 20 years later, in the final of the FA Cup on 12 May 1979. A capacity crowd saw Arsenal take a 2–0 lead in the first half thanks to goals from Brian Talbot and Frank Stapleton, and with just five minutes left on the clock their lead was still intact. Then, in the 86th minute, Gordon McQueen pulled a goal back for United, and two minutes later they equalised with a goal from Sammy McIlroy. However, barely a minute after United equalised, Arsenal's Alan Sunderland scored an 89th-minute goal to win the cup 3–2 for Arsenal.
Although Arsenal and Manchester United had previously contested many significant matches, Sir Alex Ferguson believed the rivalry started in January 1987 when David Rocastle was sent off for retaliating against a foul on Norman Whiteside. In October 1990, a brawl between both sides at Old Trafford resulted in both clubs being docked points in the 1990–91 First Division. The scuffle started when Arsenal's Anders Limpar, who scored the only goal of the game, contested for the ball with Manchester United defender Denis Irwin. Limpar's teammate Nigel Winterburn tackled Irwin, which prompted Brian McClair and Irwin to retaliate. Winterburn was pushed onto the advertising hoardings and all the players bar goalkeeper David Seaman partook in a 20-second mêlée. As well as a points deduction, both clubs fined several of their players, and in Arsenal's case, their manager too. Arsenal and United next faced each other at Highbury just over a month later in the Football League Cup fourth round. 19-year-old winger Lee Sharpe scored a hat-trick as United won the tie 6–2.
1996–2003
The rivalry intensified following the arrival of Arsène Wenger in October 1996. The first meeting between Ferguson's United and Wenger's Arsenal took place at United's Old Trafford stadium on 16 November 1996. Arsenal went into the game unbeaten in 10 matches, but an own goal by Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn gave United a 1–0 victory. An incident in the first half involving United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and Arsenal striker Ian Wright evoked memories of the 1990 brawl. The return fixture at Highbury, a 2–1 win for United, was again marred by an incident between Wright and Schmeichel; the striker challenged for the ball with both feet and caught the goalkeeper with his studs. A confrontation ensued and police stepped in to keep the players apart after the final whistle. It soon transpired the two incidents were linked, as Wright had accused Schmeichel of racially abusing him and the allegations were being criminally investigated. Speaking to Sky Sports, Ferguson firmly denied the allegations aimed at Schmeichel, and said the claims were a "slur" against the club. Wenger claimed Ferguson was speaking too much and should let the justices do their job, but was defensive of the tackle which Wright had made, saying there had been 30 worse tackles in the season. Wright's behaviour was scrutinised at a hearing, where he complained he was subject to racial abuse by Schmeichel, at which point the FA intervened and met with representatives of both clubs. In March, it was announced that Schmeichel would not face any charges for the allegations, and the pair were asked to make a public reconciliation, with Wright agreeable to the idea, but it wasn't until April that they agreed to settle their differences. The managers' animosity towards each other started to become apparent.
Wenger had advised against the Premier League extending the season to ease Manchester United's fixture congestion, to which Ferguson publicly retorted: "Maybe he should concentrate on Ian Wright's tackles rather than Manchester United. He's at a big club, well Arsenal used to be a big club, and maybe next year he could be in the same situation. I wonder what [h]is story will be then."
United had won four of the first five editions of the newly branded league, and were on course to continue their domination after opening up a sizeable lead in February 1998. Injuries and poor results however destabilised the team, and by the time Arsenal visited Old Trafford in March, a title race was looking probable. Wenger was bullish of his team's chances: "I told you last week that the race was not over when the bookmakers stopped betting. Surprise, surprise, they have started taking money again." A goal from Marc Overmars set Arsenal on the way to victory, which put them six points behind with three games in hand. They eventually won the league, and secured the double by beating Newcastle United in the FA Cup final.
Arsenal began the 1998–99 season with a 3–0 win over United in the Charity Shield; Ferguson was unconcerned by the result, but losing to the champions a month later by the same scoreline was, in his words, "a lot less tolerable." Both clubs again vied for domestic honours; United this time pipped Arsenal by a point to regain the title. They also met in the FA Cup semi-final, which was replayed after the original game ended goalless. David Beckham and Dennis Bergkamp scored for their respective clubs either side of half time, Roy Keane was dismissed, and the holders late on were awarded a penalty. Schmeichel saved Bergkamp's attempt and the tie went into extra time. Ryan Giggs memorably scored the winner, picking up possession on the halfway line and dribbling past the entire Arsenal back line before shooting past David Seaman. "A match that had everything finished with a pitch invasion, sporadic fighting and David Beckham carried shoulder-high from the field" wrote Matt Dickinson in The Times. United went on to complete the Treble, becoming the first English club to do so.
The rivalry continued into the new millennium, though Manchester United's domestic grip tightened. They finished 18 points clear of Arsenal in 1999–2000 and completed a hat-trick of titles the following season. Any indication United could be caught faded once Ferguson's team resoundingly beat Arsenal 6–1 in February 2001. Dwight Yorke scored a hat-trick, on a day Wenger fielded a relatively inexperienced centre-back pairing of Gilles Grimandi and Igors Stepanovs. At the end of the campaign, Ferguson announced his decision to retire. He reportedly sanctioned a bid to sign midfielder Patrick Vieira, who was upset at Arsenal's transfer inactivity. The transfer never came through; Wenger blamed his rivals for "...approach[ing] to Patrick without contacting us, and that does not really respect the rules." United made an indifferent start to the league campaign, and by February 2002, Ferguson went back on his retirement plan on the advice of his family. Arsenal hit their stride as the 2001–02 season came to a close, winning the double for the second time in four years. The championship was decided at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the season; Wenger described his team's 1–0 win as a "shift of power."
United again won the title back in 2002–03, when it looked as though Arsenal would retain it. A late-season encounter between the teams ended in controversial circumstances after the match officials allowed Thierry Henry's second goal to stand despite the player being offside and Sol Campbell was sent off for an elbow on Ole Gunnar Solskjær in a 2–2 draw. Arsenal had beaten United on the way to FA Cup success and both teams contested the 2003 FA Community Shield at the start of the 2003–04 season. In a hotly-contested match, Phil Neville was booked in the first minute for a challenge on Vieira and a minute later, Ashley Cole received a booking for fouling Solskjær. Yellow cards were also given to Quinton Fortune and Paul Scholes for United and Vieira for Arsenal. Substitute Francis Jeffers was shown a straight red for a kick on Phil Neville and, despite originally going unpunished, Campbell was later given a three-match ban by the FA for kicking out at Eric Djemba-Djemba. The game finished 1–1 after 90 minutes and United eventually won the Shield 4–3 on penalties.
2003–04: Brawl and Cup semi-final meeting
The rivalry escalated in September 2003, when Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford. In the match Vieira was shown a second yellow card for his part in an altercation with striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, and during stoppage time, defender Martin Keown brought down Diego Forlán in the Arsenal penalty area. United were awarded a penalty and Van Nistelrooy stepped up to take it, but his shot rebounded off the crossbar.
This was followed by scenes of jubilation from the Arsenal players, who confronted Van Nistelrooy after his miss and the resulting scuffle led to another fracas after the final whistle. The FA immediately took action, charging six of Arsenal's players (Jens Lehmann, Ray Parlour, Lauren, Cole, Keown and Vieira) with improper conduct. The club was fined £175,000, the largest ever given to a club by the FA at the time. Lauren received a four-game ban, whereas Vieira and Parlour were given one-match suspensions.
The next game between these two clubs was held at Highbury in March 2004, again ending in a draw following a late Louis Saha goal. The match marked the first time a team had ever started the season reaching 30 games without defeat.