The name ‘derby’ derives from local football contests in the county of Derbyshire. Yet even though such a local rivalry has died down in its birthplace, the concept of the derby still exists across the country.
Derby day still evokes a thundering tribal roar in even the most placid of football fans. Here are the derbies to look out for in the 2016/17 season:
Arsenal v Spurs
The first match between Arsenal and Spurs took place in 1887. However, the rivalry didn’t really start until 1913, when the Gunners moved to Highbury; just four miles away from White Hart Lane.
Having just lost out on second place to their North London rivals last season, Spurs will be looking for revenge.
The two teams play at the Emirates on Saturday 5 November 2016. They play the return match at White Hart Lane on April 29 2017.
So how will these games pan out? Well, Arsenal came out on top in pre-season, winning three out of their four friendlies; Spurs lost three and won one of theirs.
Yet whereas the Gunners played against the likes of Viking FK and the MLS All Stars, Spurs faced much tougher opposition in Juventus, and Atletico Madrid. Spurs' 6-1 demolition of Inter Milan shows that Mauricio Pochettino’s men are a force to be reckoned with.
Arsenal’s signing of ‘little Einstein’ Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach for £30 million has excited many experts and fans. On the other hand, some pundits remain unimpressed by Spurs’ new £17 million signing – Vincent Janssen from AZ Alkmaar.
Our guess is that the North London will be a lot closer and hard fought than it has been in recent years in the wake of Arsenal’s dominance over their rivals. Having said that, we reckon the Gunners will remain the big dog in North London.
Everton v Liverpool
The Merseyside derby is arguably much more good-natured than others in the Premier League; with many family members supporting opposing teams. Even the fact that Everton always seem to play at home for the first derby of the season seems to evoke good humoured joshing rather than genuine consternation.
Liverpool have long proven the superior team, despite a marked lack of the dominance so familiar to fans back in the 1980s. Both teams have new managers at the helm (although Jurgen Klopp is less new than Ronald Koeman). The German is certainly the most experienced and successful of the two managers, having won the Bundesliga twice in a row with Borussia Dortmund, who under Klopp’s watch were also Champions League runners-up in 2013.
Liverpool won six and lost three of their nine pre-season friendlies. Most tellingly, they beat Barcelona 4-0 and AC Milan 2-0. Ronald Koeman’s Everton won three of their five games, although the Toffee Men did this against the likes of Barnsley and MK Dons.
Our money is on Liverpool for both derbies. To find out more, keep an eye on our football tips.
Man City v Man United
The Manchester derby is surely the one to watch in 2016/17. Fierce at the best of times, each club now has two of the most successful managers at the helm. The derby will now be a fight between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola; two managers known for their wars (in both words and on the pitch) as managers of Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively .
Mourinho and Guardiola have clashed many times before. As it stands, Guardiola is on top. In four meetings, the Catalonian has won two, lost one and drawn one against the Portuguese.
The bookies have City as favourites in the Premier League, with United not far behind. Some say that City have the best squad, yet the signings of Ibrahimovic and Pogba et al at United will make both contests a very close-run thing.
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