Wayne Rooney Reflects on Rivalry with Arsenal and Sol Campbell’s Grudge

Wayne Rooney has disclosed that Sol Campbell harbored a six-month grudge against him following Manchester United’s controversial victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford in 2004. This match marked Rooney’s debut in the famed rivalry, as the Gunners sought to achieve their 50th consecutive unbeaten match. However, Rooney’s standout performance, which included winning a penalty from Campbell and scoring the second goal, thwarted that ambition. Campbell, who had extended his leg in the box during the incident, was notably upset with the former Everton player.

According to Rooney, the Arsenal legend refused to engage in conversation with him during international camps for six months post-match. On his podcast, Rooney recounted, “It was a significant game for Arsenal. If they had triumphed, it would have been their 50th unbeaten game. We defeated them 2-0, and Campbell did not communicate with me for over six months. Whenever we met during international duty, Sol wouldn’t speak to me. I would sometimes urge him, saying, ‘Come on man, we are representing England here.’ Yet, he remained silent because he believed I had dived, despite there being slight contact.”

Rooney also reminisced about other infamous clashes between the two teams: “I loved playing against Arsenal. I remember my first game at Highbury for United; the tension was palpable, especially in the tunnel with Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira. Then there was the incident with Cesc Fabregas and Sir Alex Ferguson throwing pizza, resulting in brawls in the tunnel, which everyone was embroiled in. Although the Martin Keown incident occurred a year before my arrival, we did manage to beat them 2-0 in the following season.”

The infamous pizza incident occurred after the match, with Ferguson being hit by a slice that Fabregas later confessed to throwing. Ashley Cole recounted the moment in his autobiography, stating, “This slice of pizza came flying over my head and hit Fergie straight in the mush. The slap reverberated down the tunnel, halting all fighting and yelling. All eyes turned in astonishment as the pizza slid off Ferguson’s famous puce face and rolled down his suit. I thought he would explode but he stormed off into the dressing room, cursing and grunting, brushing crumbs off his collar. We all later returned to the dressing room and burst into laughter. I can only say that the culprit was neither English nor French, which should narrow it down.”

Arsenal and United were renowned for their elite rivalry in the Premier League throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, although both clubs have since experienced fluctuating fortunes. Arsenal has not secured the Premier League title since 2004, while United last claimed the championship in the 2012-13 season. Throughout his career, Rooney excelled in high-stakes matches, boasting a remarkable record against Arsenal, having scored 15 goals in 35 appearances, and achieving victory in 17 of those encounters, representing both United and Everton.

The next matchup between United and Arsenal is scheduled for January 25, when Ruben Amorim’s side visits the Emirates to face Mikel Arteta’s league leaders. Currently, Arsenal holds a 15-point advantage over United, fueling optimism in north London that they might finally end their title drought this year.