Every Premier League team ranked by their recent local derby record
Fans love rivalries in football.
While some have grown in recent years due to success, arguably the best rivalries are the local derbies, embroiled with history and geography. Even in a city as big as London, with so many teams, most clubs have more specific rivalries and derbies.
But how do the current Premier League crop fare in their recent local derby record — looking over just the past five games across all competitions? We’ve taken a look and ranked them below, based on theoretical points.
For some teams, we’ve picked the bigger local derby instead of simply the closest club. And there will be no crossovers — only one derby per team.
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20. Everton
Rival: Liverpool
Recent record: 0 wins, 1 draw, 4 losses
One of two teams without victory in their past five games against their biggest rivals, Everton have managed one goalless draw alongside four defeats vs Liverpool. In fact, the Toffees have failed to score in each of their past four games against Liverpool, last netting in a 4-1 defeat in December 2021.
19. Crystal Palace
Rival: Brighton
Recent record: 0 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses
The “M23 Derby”, Crystal Palace have closer rivals but Brighton is definitely their biggest. And it’s a rivalry they’re losing at the minute. The Eagles are six games without victory over the Seagulls, and focussing on just the past five matches, three of them have finished level alongside two defeats. The most recent result was a 4-1 defeat for Palace, one they’ll take some time getting over.
18. Man Utd
Rival: Man City
Recent record: 1 win, 0 draws, 4 losses
It can be hard when your local rival is as big as Manchester City, even when you’re Manchester United. A fixture Man Utd dominated for years, now it’s the time for the “noisy neighbours” to enjoy a period of control. Man Utd have won just one of their past five games against Man City, a 2-1 victory last season. But they’ve lost the past two games by an aggregate score of 5-1, including a 2-0 loss in the 2022/23 FA Cup final.
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- Select the Sports Welcome Offer.
- Get the offer from the ‘My Offers’ page.
- Deposit and place a £10 bet at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater.
- When it settles, unlock £40 in bonuses
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14=. Fulham
Rival: Chelsea
Recent record: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses
Last season, Fulham ended a 17-year wait for victory over Chelsea, beating the Blues 2-1 at Craven Cottage. They would go on to avoid defeat against the Blues home and away in a single season for the first time since 2011/12, with a draw at Stamford Bridge. But they lost the game before that run, and fell to defeat in both matches this season, without scoring.
14=. Newcastle
Rival: Sunderland
Recent record: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses
This isn’t a rivalry we see too often at the moment, with an FA Cup third round meeting this season ending an eight-year wait for a Tyne-Weir Derby. Newcastle won that game 3-0, finally bringing to an end their nine-game winless streak against Sunderland, thanks to a brace from Alexander Isak and a Daniel Ballard own goal.
14=. Tottenham
Rival: Arsenal
Recent record: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses
The North London Derby is one of the biggest in the Premier League, but it’s been very one-sided recently. If we had done this list in December 2020, Tottenham would be higher up, unbeaten in five games. But fast forward to 2024 and they’ve managed just one win from their past five, a 3-0 victory in May 2022. Since then, Tottenham have lost to Arsenal twice, on top of a 2-2 draw earlier this season.
14=. Wolves
Rival: West Brom
Recent record: 1 win, 1 draw, 3 losses
Another team whose rivals aren’t currently in the Premier League, Wolves did face West Brom this season, knocking the Baggies out of the FA Cup. However, that was Wolves’ only victory over West Brom in their past five meetings. In the 2020/21 season, despite West Brom going down, they took four points off Wolves — and did the double in 2011/12, when the two sides were in very different places.
13. Sheffield United
Rival: Sheffield Wednesday
Recent record: 1 win, 3 draws, 1 loss
Sheffield United are actually unbeaten in their past four games against rivals Sheffield Wednesday, with all four meetings coming in the Championship. However, the past three all finished goalless, with the most recent stalemate in March 2019. The Blades were also beaten by the Owls in their last game in League One, in 2012.
12. Bournemouth
Rival: Southampton
Recent record: 2 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses
Bournemouth don’t really have rivals or derbies, but there were attempts to make Southampton one when both sides were in the Premier League. Over the past five meetings, Bournemouth have managed two wins including one last season that helped send Southampton down. But sandwiched between those two wins were three defeats, all seeing Bournemouth fail to score.
11. Nottingham Forest
Rival: Derby
Recent record: 1 win, 4 draws, 0 losses
Geographically, Nottingham Forest’s rivals will be Notts County, as they are literally on opposite banks of the River Trent. But this rivalry is overshadowed by the East Midlands Derby, between Forest and Derby. It’s been a one-sided derby with Forest unbeaten in 10 matches against the Rams. However, four of the past five have been draws, with Forest ending that streak by beating Derby 2-1 in 2022 en route to the Premier League.
10. Luton
Rival: Watford
Recent record: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses
Luton vs Watford is such a heated rivalry grown by beating the closest clubs north of London, in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire respectively. There weren’t too many games for a while as Watford went up the pyramid and Luton fell, but they did go head-to-head in the Championship in recent years. They both shared victories in 2020/21 and 2022/23, with Luton winning the most recent meeting 2-0 to aid them in getting promoted — though Watford will take the 4-0 win at Vicarage Road earlier in the campaign.
9. West Ham
Rival: Millwall
Recent record: 2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss
Another matchup we don’t see too often nowadays, West Ham vs Millwall is up there as one of the most-heated rivalries in England when it comes to fan trouble. One of the reasons is because it’s a rare occasion, with West Ham last facing Millwall in 2011/12, winning at home and drawing at the Den in the Championship. The Hammers are unbeaten in their past four games against their Dockers derby rivals, since a 1-0 defeat in the Championship in 2004.
8. Brighton
Rival: Crystal
Recent record: 2 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses
The other side of the M23 Derby, Brighton beat Crystal Palace 4-1 earlier this year and have won their past two home matches against the Seagulls. But their record at Selhurst Park is what keeps them from flying higher up this table, winless in South London since 2019. Nonetheless, they still place highly.
6=. Chelsea
Rival: Fulham
Recent record: 3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss
Chelsea may not be having a great season, but at least they went unbeaten against Fulham. Although Blues fans will consider other London teams as bigger rivals, this is still a West London derby. In fact, it’s a Borough of Fulham derby, and both sides like to bring out the “One Team in Fulham” chants when these two sides face off. But Chelsea are getting the wins on the pitch.
6=. Arsenal
Rival: Tottenham
Recent record: 3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss
Arsenal have enjoyed their rivalry with Tottenham, so much so that fans celebrated St Totteringham’s Day each season when the Lilywhites were no longer able to finish above the Gunners in the table. Arsenal’s change in fortunes on the pitch under Mikel Arteta has shown in North London derbies, with the Gunners winning three of the past five.
4=. Brentford
Rival: QPR
Recent record: 4 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss
The last team in London, Brentford’s closest and biggest rivals are QPR — though their fans will be more focused on Fulham and Chelsea in the Premier League. Although Brentford did lose their last game against QPR, the 2-1 defeat came as the Bees were on their way to securing promotion to the Premier League. And they won the four before that, asserting their dominance in this particular West London derby.
4=. Man City
Rival: Man Utd
Recent record: 4 wins, 0 draws, 1 loss
Even if you just looked at league games, Man City’s record over Man Utd in their past five matches would read four wins and one loss. That sole loss came in January last season but couldn’t stop Man City en route to the title. The Citizens have already beaten Man Utd 3-0 at Old Trafford this season, and they’ll be hoping to do the league double over their rivals again.
2=. Aston Villa
Rival: Birmingham
Recent record: 4 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses
The first of three teams unbeaten against their rivals, Aston Villa haven’t tasted defeat to Birmingham since 2010. Of course, they have only played eight games since then, with Villa often in the Premier League and Birmingham staying out. When they last met in the 2018/19 season, Villa did the league double over Birmingham including a 4-2 win at Villa Park.
2=. Liverpool
Rival: Everton
Recent record: 4 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses
Another one-sided derby, Liverpool have been stingy neighbours to Everton, allowing them to score just one goal in their past five meetings. The Merseyside Derby is a weird one, as Everton can sometimes give Liverpool a tough game before the Reds’ quality eventually shines through. Just earlier this season, Liverpool had to wait for a 75th-minute penalty to open the scoring, before getting a second deep into injury time.
1. Burnley
Rival: Blackburn
Recent record: 5 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses
Burnley may not have much to celebrate in the Premier League this season, but in their eyes at least they’re not Blackburn. A heated rival, this has been as one-sided as they come, with Burnley winning each of the last six. In fact, they haven’t lost to Blackburn since 2010, the last time both these clubs were in the Premier League.
