Study: How does Manchester City versus Liverpool compare to the Premier League’s most exciting title-rivalries?

Ahead of Manchester City versus Liverpool on Sunday, BettingOdds.com have analysed which ‘Title Rivalries’ have been the most entertaining during the Premier League’s 28-year history. 

To be deemed a match between ‘Title Rivals’ and to qualify for the study, the clashes needed to include the following:

• A match involving any side that finished six points or less off the eventual winner of the Premier League.
• A match involving the eventual winner of the Premier League and the runner-up with no point gap being taken into consideration.
• Two sides that fit the previous criteria listed and have played a minimum of four league games against one another whilst both competing for the Premier League title.

To judge which rivalries were the most entertaining, we’ve scored each game by the following points structure:

• Goal (25 Points)
• Penalty (20 Points)
• Red Card (20 Points)
• Own Goal (15 Points)
• Yellow Card (10 Points)

The total points have then been divided by the games played between each side so that the rankings are determined on a points per game basis. The years that both sides were in direct competition with one another for the title have been listed in the results below.

The Premier League’s most entertaining Title Rivalries ranked:

1. Manchester City vs Manchester United (2011-13 & 2017-18) - 176.7 Points

Games: 6 Goals Per Game: 4 Penalties Per Game: 0 Red Cards Per Game: 0.2 Own Goals Per Game: 0.2 Yellow Cards Per Game: 7

2. Liverpool vs Manchester City (2013-14 & 2018-20) - 135.8 Points

Games: 6 Goals Per Game: 3.2 Penalties Per Game: 0.3 Red Cards Per Game: 0.2 Own Goals Per Game: 0.3 Yellow Cards Per Game: 4

3. Blackburn vs Manchester United (1993-95) - 113.8 Points

Games: 4 Goals Per Game: 2.8 Penalties Per Game: 0.3 Red Cards Per Game: 0.3 Own Goals Per Game: 0 Yellow Cards Per Game: 3.5

4. Chelsea vs Manchester City (2013-15) - 112.5 Points

Games: 4 Goals Per Game: 2 Penalties Per Game: 0 Red Cards Per Game: 0.3 Own Goals Per Game: 0 Yellow Cards Per Game: 5.8

5. Chelsea vs Manchester United (1998-99 & 2005-08 & 2009-11) - 111.3 Points

Games: 12 Goals Per Game: 1.9 Penalties Per Game: 0.3 Red Cards Per Game: 0.2 Own Goals Per Game: 0 Yellow Cards Per Game: 5.5

6. Arsenal vs Manchester United (1997-01 & 2002-03 & 2007-08) - 110.4 Points

Games: 12 Goals Per Game: 2.8 Penalties Per Game: 0.1 Red Cards Per Game: 0.2 Own Goals Per Game: 0.1 Yellow Cards Per Game: 3.5

7. Arsenal vs Chelsea (1998-99 & 2003-05 & 2007-08) - 101.3 Points

Games: 8 Goals Per Game: 1.8 Penalties Per Game: 0 Red Cards Per Game: 0.3 Own Goals Per Game: 0 Yellow Cards Per Game: 5.3

8. Manchester United vs Newcastle United (1995-97) - 92.5 Points

Games: 4 Goals Per Game: 2 Penalties Per Game: 0 Red Cards Per Game: 0 Own Goals Per Game: 0 Yellow Cards Per Game: 4.3