Chelsea 100 v Liverpool 0

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Chelsea, without a natural enemy, seem to have adopted Liverpool as their favourite whipping boys. First there was Mourinho winding them up in Cardiff in his first League Cup final in 2005. Then the Champions League clashes. Then that Rafa Benitez business. And now the Steve Gerrard songs. Anyone who thinks any fans, let alone Chelsea fans, are going to desist from such mockery and start showing respect to an opposition player clearly doesn’t understand the psyche of football crowds.

Still, don’t despair, Koppites, you’ve still got something to sing about.

Honours.                        Liverpool         Chelsea

Champions                          18                  4

FA Cup                                  7                  7

League Cup                          8                  4

European Champions           5                  1

UEFA Cup/Europa Lge         3                  1

Cup Winners Cup                 0                  2

UEFA Super Cup                  3                  1

Blues or Reds? Who’s Liverpool’s Deadliest Rival

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I think we all know the answer to that, but there’ll be an extra dash of spice in the Scouse derby a month from now, with both teams in desperate need of a landmark win to cheer their fans up a bit. So what will the two sets of fans be winding each other up with in the pubs around Goodison Park?

They’ve played each other exactly 100 times at Goodison, with Everton edging it 36 v 34 with 30 games drawn. Not a great record for the home side, compared to Liverpool’s 41 v 24 and 34 draws at Anfield. But who cares about all that? What are the real reasons your club’s better than theirs?

Come on, Scousers, send us your best barbs and we’ll see who comes out on top.

Who’s Chelsea’s Number One Rival?

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There’s been much discussion about who Chelsea’s biggest rival is. Andy Jacobs on TalkSPORT reckoned it was currently Liverpool, in view of their recent acrimony with Rafa Benitez and the Champions League encounters. The local rival is, of course, Fulham, but that’s a one-way hatred, Fulham not having inflicted many stings to spoil Chelsea’s picnic over the years. Then there’s Leeds – “Wash your mouth out, son” and all that – but again, it’s more Leeds hating Chelsea than Chelsea hating Leeds, Chelsea having won that spiteful Cup Final in 1970, and you suspect that a large proportion of Chelsea fans under the age of 25 might not realise that their club have ever even played Leeds.

These recent years of success under the Abramovich regime will have thrown up a few on-field rivals, such as Man United, Liverpool and Arsenal, but these are rivalries based mainly on competition for the big prizes. Real football rivalry is about much more than that, and when it comes to that inborn acrimony that lingers in the blood, regardless of form or fortune, the one that has history on and off the pitch, Chelsea’s number one rival has to be Spurs.

Especially after last night’s kaning.

Are we right? Or are we right?

Manchester United Win

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So, a goal to United, thanks to David De Gea. What a difference six months makes. Back in March it was David Moyes under the cosh as his United flops went down 3-0 at home to Liverpool, handing out penalties like U2 giving away albums. This time it was Brendan Rodgers getting the “Sacked in the morning…” treatment, as Old Trafford found its voice again, with one particular old fave from the Thatcher era to the tune of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Now the focus turns from the North-West to the North-East, with Newcastle v Sunderland being dished up with next Sunday’s lunch. Which is the bigger club? The Magpies are currently seven points and seven places higher than their local rivals and narrowly edge the all-time record with 53 victories to Sunderland’s 50, but the Mackems have made a habit of winning this one 3-0 in recent years.

Jack Colback will be the centre of attention, having crossed the divide from Sunderland to Newcastle in the summer and joining a surprisingly long list of players who’ve played for both sides. That move alone was 1-0 to the Geordies but if Sunderland can make it three 3-0s in a row, they’ll be claiming that goal back and more besides.

So where does the balance of power really lie in the North-East? You tell us.

Newcastle 100 Sunderland 0
Sunderland 100 Newcastle 0

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United v Liverpool – 4 days to go…

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Manchester United v Liverpool: is it the fiercest rivalry in English football? United fans reckon they succeeded in Fergie’s ambition to “knock Liverpool right off their perch”. Scousers reckon they still rule the roost, having won more trophies than the Red Devils. Liverpool’s tame exit from the Champions League will have delighted United fans, and with United winning at Southampton to extend their winning run to five and Liverpool failing to score against Sunderland last weekend, United will be favourites – not like last year, when David Moyes surrendered the initiative before a ball had been kicked. Rightly so, as it turned out.

Whatever happens on the pitch, the battle for bragging rights among the two sets of fans will be brutal. And by Sunday evening we’ll know who’s added a goal to their tally.

Manchester United 100 Liverpool 0
Liverpool 100 Manchester United 0

The best gift for Man United fans this Christmas and the best gift for Liverpool fans this Christmas.

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100-0 books launch today!

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The first two 100-0 books are officially published today. Manchester United v Liverpool and Spurs v Arsenal kick off the series, with Celtic v Rangers and Sunderland v Newcastle following on 4 December.

covers

It’s been a day of endless Champagne receptions, graced by the giants of the literary world, and we haven’t been invited to any of them. Still, who needs prawn sandwiches when you can have cod and chips?

May God bless these books and all who sail in them!

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