At the beginning of the 2000s, each confrontation between Arsenal and Manchester United ensured spectacle. With both giants now handing over those places of honor to their neighbors Chelsea and Manchester Ciy as well as Liverpool, a former Gunners, Robert Pires recalls in an interview with The Times the real battles that took place in those confrontations.
The Frenchman focused everything on the figure of Gary Neville, a former Manchester United defender and currently a collaborator in the media, who assures that he made his life miserable in these meetings based on insults as well as good defense.
“My friend Gary Neville. Psychologically, he always beat me. My record against him is catastrophic, I know that. He talked to me all the time and insulted me throughout the game, “the Frenchman admits.
Pirés assures that, by not mastering English at that time, he managed to ‘distract himself’ from several of the insults he received on his part. “As he insulted me in English I did not understand anything, but I know they were not kind words. He always spoke to me, annoyed me and looked for me,” he adds.
On this list, Pires also includes Wayne Rooney, another specialist in the squabble over green. “Neville knew how to drive me crazy and unfortunately, he won. I had fights with him and Rooney all the time.. Neville was really tough and this only psychologically. I knew that with him I was going to suffer, “he said.
The summit of these confrontations was the Battle of Old Trafford, the match between United and Arsenal that was played at the home of the ‘Red Devils’ in 2003. The game was tough, with a notable amount of fouls and yellows, but it all happened after the final whistle. Van Nistelrooy missed a penalty caused by Forlán and faced Lehmann, then Arsenal goalkeeper. From there, a fight began that ended with Keown, Lauren, Parlor, Ashley Cole and Kolo Touré involved by Arsenal and Van Nistelrooy, Keane, Giggs, Cristiano, Gary Neville, Silvestre, Fortune and Rio Ferdinand by Manchester United. Several ended up with cards, in addition to the expulsion of Vieira during the match, and were fined by the FA with financial sanctions and suspensions.