Paul Scholes has been recalling the best moments from what he believes was still the biggest Premier League rivalry of all: Manchester United v Arsenal.
Scholes faced the Gunners many times during his long and illustrious playing career and he was a key component of the Reds' midfield when we battled it out with the north-London club for the top domestic honours.
Either United or Arsenal were English champions every year between 1996 and 2004, with the sides also taking six of the nine FA Cups decided during those seasons.
Historically a big occasion, the fixture was further fuelled by the personal rivalry between managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, and although it retained its importance even after the former retired in 2013, it was during the late 1990s and early 2000s that it reached fever pitch, often bringing the country to a standstill.
Now, ahead of our Tour 2023 clash with the Gunners in New York – the first time the sides have met in USA - Scholes has been looking back on what made United v Arsenal such an iconic head-to-head.
“I think it was for a period of time, wasn’t it?”
Scholes replied, when we asked whether the head-to-head was still unrivalled.
“I think you’d like to say United and Liverpool at times, but I don’t think that rivalry at the very top of the league has always been there.
“I think, for a long period of time, United and Arsenal was the big one, so when you talk about winning trophies, you’d have to say that United and Arsenal, for a longer period of time, was the biggest.
“There was a touchiness to the fixture, of course, there was the 'Pizzagate' scandal [when United halted Arsenal’s long unbeaten run in 2004 and a food fight took place outside the dressing rooms] and all that kind of stuff, so there was definitely a big edge to those games and that’s what you live for, the games.
“You don’t want to be going into games where there’s nothing on them, really, but you knew you had to try to win them.
“You didn’t always win them but they were the team you knew you had to try to beat.”
The United v Arsenal top-flight oeuvre over two decades was incredible, with iconic, title-shaping moments a regular occurrence.
The Gunners clinched the title at Old Trafford in May 2002, gaining revenge a season after United pummelled Wenger’s side 6-1 to move closer to sealing our third league win in succession.
Two matches linger in Paul’s mind though, as he looks back on our 4-2 victory at Highbury in February 2005 – a game now best remembered for what went on in the bowels of the stadium before kick-off.
Ryan Giggs’s era-defining solo goal at Villa Park in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay also ranks highly.
“One game that stands out? Probably a couple of games: the one with Roy in the tunnel with Vieira. It was brilliant,”
he recalls.
“You talk about mentality and leadership and that was probably something that came from Bryan Robson, looking after your players. At that time, we were looking after Gary Neville! But not only to say it in the tunnel but then to go out on the pitch and do it…
“He [Keane] went there and just showed them who the boss was and that was a big part of our rivalry.
“Probably the 1999 semi-final as well, with Giggsy’s goal. They were great battles against them, they were a brilliant team. They could do everything.
“They could play football, they could mix it up, they could be aggressive – very similar to the way we played football really.
“Two very similar teams and they were entertaining, brilliant games and games you knew you needed to be at the top of your game to win.”
Scholes came up against Arsenal 31 times, with his 19-year United spell seeing him go into battle against some fine names.
Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit were World Cup winners and pivotal to Wenger’s first Double-winning side, while Ray Parlour and Gilberto Silva were also fierce competitors.
In later years, flair players like Robert Pires, Freddie Ljungberg and Cesc Fabregas would be direct opposition for Scholes, but he always comes back to Vieira – probably the defining player of the rivalry, along with Keane – when the question of toughest Arsenal opponent is raised.
“Vieira and Petit were both brilliant players. I’d say Vieira was probably the most awkward one to play against. He was so tough but also rangy, long legs.
“He could run, he could play, very physical as well. But I didn’t mind. The way I played, it didn’t really affect who I came up against. It’s not as if I had to beat a man or be stronger.
“I just had to use my brain and stay away from them when I had the ball. I’d say Vieira was a top-class player and someone that was difficult to play against.”
Tickets for our Tour 2023 match against Arsenal in New York are on general sale now.