What Is the Liverpool Aston Villa Rivalry?

For fans of the English Premier League, the rivalry between Liverpool and Aston Villa is considered one of the greatest in the world. In this article, we take a look at where this rivalry originated and what makes it so special. To understand the origins and context of the rivalry, we must first look at the shared history between these two teams.

The History Between Liverpool and Aston Villa

Liverpool and Aston Villa are two of the most successful teams in English Football. Liverpool has won the English Football League 18 times and also won six European Cup/Champions League titles. Aston Villa has been less successful, having won the English Football League seven times and one European Cup. While they may be far apart in terms of their trophies and achievements, they have a long shared history that dates back to 1892.

The two clubs played each other regularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During this time, both clubs had success and would manage to win the English Football League multiple times during this period. In the first game between these two clubs, back in 1892, Aston Villa came out as the victors with a score of 4-1.

The Battle for Local Supremacy

The rivalry between the two clubs intensified in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when they started to fight for local supremacy. Liverpool started to dominate from the 1930s onwards, winning six championships in a row from 1947 to 1952.This dominance shifted back towards Aston Villa in the 1960s, when they won two championships, in 1961 and 1969. Aston Villa would also gain revenge over their long-time rivals in 1982 after a dramatic 3–1 victory over them in the European cup final.

From the 2000s onward, it has been fairly one-sided with Liverpool dominating over their rivals. However, the rivalry still shows itself today with both teams meeting three times in the English Premier League in the 2017/18 season alone. The last game between them, which took place at Anfield, was won by Liverpool 3–2.

Reasons Behind the Rivalry

The main reason why Liverpool and Aston Villa have such a rivalry is due to them both being located in nearby areas in England. Both teams are located in the north-west of England, with Liverpool being only 12 miles away from Aston Villa. This proximity has helped increase the intensity of their rivalry over the years.

Another reason behind this rivalry is due to the success that each team has had over the years. While Liverpool have been more successful than Aston Villa overall, both teams have won multiple championships in England and also competed on a European level. This has made it all the more exciting when the two teams take each other on.

Finally, the fact that both teams play in different styles also helps drive their rivalry. While Liverpool play a more attacking style of football, Aston Villa is known for its defense-minded approach. This means that when these two teams come head to head, it can often make for an exciting tactical battle.

Conclusion

The rivalry between Liverpool and Aston Villa is one of the most intense in English Football and has plenty of history behind it. It all began when the two teams first played against each other back in 1892 and has only grown ever since due to the shared history between them, their proximity to one another, past successes, and differences in playing style.

The Premier League website is a great source of information if you want to read more about this rivalry.