Why Leeds vs Man Utd more bitter and nasty than Liverpool rivalry – Gary Neville | Football | Sport
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Leeds United had a “brutal” and “nasty” rivalry with Manchester United when Marcelo Bielsa’s side were in the Premier League, according to Gary Neville. The clashes between the two sides were even more intense than matches between Man United and Liverpool, he claimed.
Leeds have been out of the top flight since the 2003-2004 season.
During their spell in the Premiership, Leeds were regularly competing in Europe as one of the best teams in the country.
Their prestige of being a top five club meant that the team’s fierce rivalries intensified, including with Man United.
Neville admitted that Elland Road was always a tough place to go in the league.
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The Leeds United-Man United clashes were often named the ‘Roses rivalry’, emanating from the rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire.
The two teams had a number of intense matches throughout the 1960s, and subsequently the 1990s.
There were also some on-field clashes during the matches, most notably between Roy Keane and Alf-Inge Haaland in 1997.
Ian Harte and Fabien Barthez locked horns in 2001, before Robbie Keane and David Beckham clashed later in the year.
But, despite the rivalry, Neville admitted that he’d love to see Leeds back in the Premier League.
He defined Leeds as a “big club”, and said that the atmosphere at Elland Road was unbelievable.
“Leeds, I always felt was a huge club when we were playing against them,” said Neville.
“I always felt it was a big club. You want them back, absolutely.
“When people ask ‘What is a big club?’, I always think Leeds United.
“It’s just the feeling you get when you go and play football there; it’s unbelievable. It’s different, it’s a different place to play football.”
The Whites are currently top of the Championship, and are seven points clear of the play-off places.
With just nine games to go in the league, the EFL and Premier League seasons have been suspended while the UK battles the coronavirus.
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