EPL: Ranking the Top 5 Premier League Rivalries

As the weeks of summer drag by and the transfer market opening sees the rumours of player switches start to increase, fans inevitably look towards the Premier League fixture list with longing, picking out the biggest games to look forward to and counting down the days until competitive action begins again.

While the local derby matches are always key dates on any fan's calender, most teams have another club or two against who the feeling is just as strong; games which they want to win just as badly.

The Premier League has lost out on the Blackburn-Bolton derby after both sides were relegated last year, but the arrival of West Ham United will add some extra spice to already-tasty all-London affairs.

We all know about and love a Liverpool vs. Everton, Manchester City vs. Manchester United or Tottenham vs. Arsenal game—but here are the top five Premier League rivalries outside of local derbies.

Liverpool and Chelsea

Borne of the frequent collisions of these two sides during the Rafa Benitez/Jose Mourinho eras, Liverpool and Chelsea built up a huge rivalry as they scrapped for Premier League points and FA Cup and Champions League knockout spots.

Supporters of either side also don't have a huge amount of love for each other, exacerbated apart from the match results by the transfer of Fernando Torres, the epic failed "El Niño" flag copy and the shameful booing during a minute's silence for Hillsborough victims by those in blue.

Feisty games have been played out between these two clubs in recent years, as well as a fair few dull 0-0's. The 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League will live long in the memory.

Stoke and Arsenal

A clash of styles on a grand scale led to this rivalry developing.

Arsenal: the debonair, stylish, pass-first, aesthetically-pleasing team.

Stoke: the dogged, rugged, in-your-face, high passes, loads of crosses and set-piece extraordinaire side.

They clash off the pitch with managers Arsene Wenger and Tony Pulis believing each is in the wrong with their criticism of style of play, the supporters clash because of their faith in their teams and, on the pitch, the striped Stoke players are seemingly not shy about mixing it up with the Gunners—no shrinking violets themselves, it must be remembered.

The terrible injury suffered by Aaron Ramsey at the hands of Ryan Shawcross hardly helped matters either.

Arsenal and Manchester United

Staying with Arsenal and another of their rivals now, how old is their battle with Manchester United?

Roy Keane vs. Patrick Vieira, Ian Wright vs. Peter Schmeichel, Arsene Wenger vs. Alex Ferguson, Martin Keown vs. Ruud van Nistelrooy...

For years, these two sides were the top dogs of the Premier League, as well as battling for supremacy in the domestic cups.

Thunderous challenges were the order of the day when these two met during the biggest days of the rivalry, with red cards a frequent sight.

Somewhat dulled of late due to Arsenal's lack of trophy success, there is nonetheless no end to the rivalry when the two clubs clash—as the overriding joy from United fans was to prove last season with the thorough battering dished out early on in the campaign.

West Ham United and Tottenham

After a brief relegation-interrupted respite, these two London sides will be back at it again this season as West Ham United regained promotion to the Premier League.

Make no mistake about it, the Hammers' fans fairly hate Spurs. The feeling is perhaps not quite as strong in the reverse direction but then, Spurs have had bigger fish to fry of late.

The new management duo of these two clubs should make for some entertaining battles too once they get to criticising each other; Andre Villas-Boas, the headstrong and offensive-sounding youngster and Sam Allardyce, the heavyset, brash and always ready-to-argue elder statesman.

West Ham vs. Spurs could turn out to be one of the most entertaining matches of the season, all things told.

Liverpool and Manchester United

The biggest rivalry of them all remains the one which has been around for the longest.

Liverpool vs. Manchester United, the two most successful English clubs and the two biggest fanbases worldwide of any UK team.

Trophies have for a long time been the focal point, but city proximity and population persona play a massive part too.

Most recently, United's eclipse of Liverpool's long-standing titles record and the Suarez-Evra incident have been key sticking points between the two sets of fans, but Steven Gerrard's FA Cup red card, Rafael's Anfield horror tackle and Dirk Kuyt's personal collection of goals vs. United—including a hat trick and a late FA Cup winner—all ensure that the age-old battle is firmly represented and full-blooded right up to the present day.

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