Manchester United vs Arsenal Tickets

Manchester United F.C. vs Arsenal F.C. Info

Derbies are born out of geographic proximity and the desire to dominate a local football scene. However, Manchester United F.C. and Arsenal F.C. do not fit the definition, considering they represent different cities in the United Kingdom. Plus, during most of their history, matches between the Red Devils and the Gunners were peaceful events without the explosive atmosphere recognizable for rivalries.

However, things started to change in the 1990s, when Premier League matches at Old Trafford or Arsenal Stadium, the then home of the Gunners, offered football drama that is still part of popular lore.  

The first competitive match between Manchester United and Arsenal occurred in 1894. And as top-flight teams, they managed to catalogue 237 duels across all football competitions in England. United has come on top with 98 victories, even though Arsenal is not falling behind by much, winning 86 games. A total of 53 matches have ended up as draws.

An interesting fact is that although the history of these two clubs spans 138 years, one player has managed to appear in a fifth of their games. Manchester United's legend Ryan Griggs has played 50 games against Arsenal F.C.

The fierce dynamic between the Gunners and the Red Devils has settled in the past decade after Chelsea F.C. and Manchester City F.C. disrupted their Premier League dominances.

In addition, the change of the old guard has eliminated some of the old grudges, but the on-pitch performance is still excellent. And football fans can purchase Manchester United tickets at SeatPick, and enjoy the atmosphere at the Theater of Dreams.

About Manchester United vs Arsenal Football Tickets

The rivalry between the clubs from London and Manchester has had several edgy chapters, but when a game receives an official name, it's obvious things really got out of control.

On 24 October 2004, Old Trafford was the stage for a football match, which according to experts, was the culminating event in the story between the Red Devils and the Gunners.

The match was named the "Battle of the Buffet", and harsh words were not the only thing thrown around. Food was also involved, more precisely, a slice of pizza which Arsenal footballer Cesc Fàbregas allegedly tossed in the direction of United coach Alex Ferguson.

That was only one of several on and off-field episodes during the game, which may have robbed Arsenal of a title after the 2:0 loss, costing the Gunners precious points in the battle for the title.

Arsenal fans may have regrets about the lost opportunity, but the club remains one of the most successful in the Premier League. Arsenal has won 13 league titles, among which the 2003-04 title is remarkable, considering the team went through the season unbeaten.

After that remarkable achievement, the Gunners lost their mojo and have not won a league title in 20 years. Looking at the trophy collection at Emirates Stadium, one could think the Gunners decided to focus all their efforts on the F.A. Cup, where they hold a record with 14 titles.

They may not have raised the Premier League trophy since 2004, but the winning streak continued with 2004–05, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, and 2019–20 season F.A. Cup wins. 

Surprisingly for a successful team, international success is lacking. The only European competitions claimed by the Gunners are the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the 1993–94 season and an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup back in the 1969–70 season.

On the other hand, Europe has been a fertile ground for Manchester United. The Red Devils have had three successful campaigns in the European Cup and later rebranded UEFA Champions League, winning the recognition of the best club on the old continent in 1967–68, 1998–99, and 2007–08 seasons. The portfolio gets diversified with a European Cup Winners' Cup title in the 1990–91 season and a UEFA Europa League conquest in the 2016-17 season.

Although the European record is impressive, it's put to shame by the triumphs on home soil. Manchester United has been crowned Premier League champion 20 times. The most recent title is in the 2012–13 season. It hasn't been a slouch in the F.A. Cup, where the club won 12 trophies. They have a remarkable success record which got initiated with the first trophy in 1886 when the club won the Manchester Cup.

The best option to buy tickets for Manchester United Premier League matches is SeatPick, where it's possible to compare ticket prices and choose a seat for the derby.

Background of the Red Devils

The remarkable success achieved by Manchester United was not something fans may have expected during its humble beginnings. Formed in 1878, the Red Devils were known initially as Newton Heath LYR Football Club and function more or less as a team of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway.

They played initial matches versus other railway companies and, in 1888, joined the Combination, a regional competition. It was a short-lived league that disbanded after a year, and Newton Heath transitioned to the new Football Alliance, which merged with the Football League starting in the 1892–93 season.

Financial problems endangered the club's future until new investors arrived in 1902, when the name officially changed to Manchester United. The situation quickly changed for the better, with the first title claimed in 1908, while the following year, an F.A. Cup trophy showed the club was here to stay.

After the 1911 League title, the team remained a contender but managed to get back at the top after 41 years, winning its third First Division title in the 1951- 52 season. The Red Devils made history in 1957 as the first club from England to compete in the European Cup, where it recorded its biggest victory after outscoring Anderlecht 10:0.

The successful streak was interrupted by a tragedy after an aircraft carrying the club crashed in Munich in 1958 when 8 footballers lost their lives and several had career-ending injuries.

However, the club managed to bounce back from the tragedy and continued to be a contender, harvesting titles every decade. Manchester United recorded their first European Cup win in the 1967–68 season, against Benfica at Wembley Stadium.

United's golden era started with the hiring of Sir Alex Ferguson as manager. During his tenure in the club, 13 league titles were added to the collection. Plus, two UEFA Champion League triumphs in the 1998–99 and 2007–08 seasons.

After the departure of Ferguson in 2013, United continued to rank high but has not been able to reclaim the championship status in nearly a decade.

Background of the Gunners

North London is the home of Arsenal F.C., where in 1886, several workers of the Royal Arsenal decided to establish a football club, appropriately named after their workshop. The early days in the club's history were dominantly a local affair, winning county association trophies.

Things changed in 1891 when Arsenal transformed into London's first professional team. In 1894, the club entered the Football leagues and moved up to the First Division in 1904. The second decade of the 20th century didn't start great after a bankruptcy in 1910, followed by a fire in 1913 that destroyed much of Manor Ground, the then-home stadium.

Arsenal reemerged from the troublesome decade stronger and started paving the way for the success it's known for, with a string of 5 championship titles in the 1930s. World War 2 broke the effective run, with the next triumph arriving in the 1947–48 season. However, after the 1953 title, a winning hiatus followed for 18 years. The mediocre performance of the 1950s and 1960s was overcome with the championship in 1970–71.

Although the club had remarkable success in the 1930s, fans consider the golden age to be the 1990s and 2000s. At this time, three Premier League titles were validated and 5 F.A. Cups, a competition where the Ginners have traditionally found success.

The end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st was the time frame for the fierce Arsenal - Manchester United rivalry. Most perceive this as an unorthodox episode in the team's history, considering its traditional rivals are Chelsea F.C., West Ham United, Fulham F.C., and Tottenham Hotspur.

The London teams always provoked the passion of Gunners supporters at the legendary Arsenal Stadium, which was the team's home from 1913 until 2006.

And the attitude has not changed at Emirates Stadium, where fans can secure a front row seat for a Saturday match of Arsenal vs Manchester United by buying tickets at SeatPick, a search engine that guarantees the best online deals.

Top Managers

A couple of knights sat on the Manchester United bench. Sir Matt Busby had a tenure from 1945 until 1969 and returned for a season in 1970-71. The next member of the British order of chivalry to manage the Red Devils is Alex Ferguson, another Scottish coach who is generally believed to be the best coach in the history of the club. Both Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho attempted to replicate their brilliant resume Ferguson but fell short in their mission. 

The Gunners have their legend in Arsène Wenger, who led the team in 1,235 matches across numerous competition formats from 1996 until 2018. One of his predecessors, George Graham, enriched the team with two First Division titles and an F.A. Cup, sticking around as head coach from 1986 until 1995. And the future of Arsenal is on the shoulders of Mikel Arteta, who has some large shoes to fill.

However, the rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal largely stems from the personal animosity of coaches Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger. The hostile relationship is evident from the fact that both managers never had a drink after a game, something that is a tradition in English football.

Over the years, the coaches were very vocal about their hatred and frequently exchanged bitter swipes. Both teams were contenders for the title each year, which only fueled passions. After the managers departed the clubs, the rivalry subsided, and their relationship became more cordial in recent years.

Famous Footballers That Have Played for Manchester United

The Red Devils have been actively recruiting the best homegrown and international talent, and it was never shy to borrow footballers from its rivalries. Throughout the club's history, 945 footballers have appeared in official matches in the team's jersey. And from that elite bunch, Ryan Giggs holds the record with 963 appearances over a two-decade career.

Some other popular names that played for Manchester United include:

• Wayne Rooney
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Paul Pogba
• Louis Saha
• Patrice Evra
• Edwin van der Sar
• Rio Ferdinand
• Ruud van Nistelrooy

Famous Footballers That Have Played for Arsenal F.C.

The Gunners were an exclusive British squad for most of its history, but this changed in the 1990s when many international players joined the ranks. One of them, French striker Thierry Henry set a team record by scoring 228 goals between 1999 and 2007.

A few of the Gunners' legends are:

• Theo Walcott
• Petr Čech
• Samir Nasri
• Kolo Touré
• Cesc Fàbregas
• Tomáš Rosický
• Olivier Giroud
• Aaron Ramsey

Old Trafford – Manchester, United Kingdom

Address: London Road, Manchester M60 7RA

Capacity: 74,140

Description: Legendary footballer Bobby Charlton nicknamed Old Trafford "The Theatre of Dreams". And the largest stadium in the U.K. has genuinely been the stage for some memorable events. It has been the Red Devils' official home since 1910, with several expansions and renovations over the decades that increased the capacity to 74,140 seats. The constant addition and improvements of stands have made the ground look imbalanced, but it's still one of the world's most iconic football venues.

Apart from football, the stadium hosts rugby matches and music events, with numerous celebrities staging concerts that test the venue's max capacity. Curiously, the biggest attendance was not for a Manchester game but was recorded in 1939 when 76,962 fans packed the stands to watch the Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Grimsby Town during an F.A. Cup match.

Best Way to Travel

The venue is 2 miles southwest of the Manchester city centre. Taking the tram from Piccadilly, which is 3 miles from the stadium, is the fastest option to travel. Yet there are other public transport methods available for supporters.

By Tram

The Trafford Park line is open, and Old Trafford station is the nearest metro link tram station, only a 5-minute walk to the stadium.

By Bus

Several bus lines connect Old Trafford's neighbourhood with the Manchester centre. Available options include buses 79, 255, 256, 263, and 250.

By Car

The stadium connects a few main roads, such as the M60, M61, M62, M67, A56 and A57. However, driving is not recommended because of traffic jams and parking issues on game day. And if you decide to use parking lots E1 and E2, you may experience delays in leaving after the referee's final whistle when local authorities prioritise pedestrians.