20 years of the "Battle of the Buffet" – marking the legendary Manchester United vs Arsenal match
The early to mid-2000s marked the peak of the rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal, as these two teams were the main contenders for the Premier League title. October 24 marks 20 years since one of the most intense matches between them, which the English press famously dubbed the ‘Battle of the Buffet.’
In October 2004, Arsenal were the reigning champions of England, having gone unbeaten throughout the 2003-2004 season. Manchester United, on the other hand, finished that season in third place and were struggling at the start of the following campaign under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Going into the match, the ‘Red Devils’ were in sixth place, while Arsène Wenger's Arsenal topped the table, not only two points ahead of Chelsea but also boasting a record-breaking 49-match unbeaten run in English football.
The turning point of the match came in the 73rd minute. Wayne Rooney broke away from Arsenal's defense, and in the eyes of referee Mike Riley, Sol Campbell fouled the young forward, leading to a penalty for United. Ruud van Nistelrooy converted the spot-kick, and in the 90th minute, Rooney himself scored from open play, sealing a 2-0 victory for Manchester United. However, the most dramatic moments unfolded after the final whistle.
In the tunnel, tensions boiled over, with players from both teams exchanging accusations. Reports soon emerged that an Arsenal player had thrown food at Ferguson. Ashley Cole later revealed that it was Cesc Fàbregas who threw a slice of pizza. Years later, Fàbregas admitted to it but clarified that he hadn’t aimed directly at Ferguson but rather at the group of United players.
This incident earned the match the nickname ‘Battle of the Buffet’ or ‘Pizzagate’ in the English press. Wenger later accused Rooney of diving and criticized the referee for favoring Manchester United, but the officiating body did not acknowledge any mistakes by Riley.
Ultimately, neither Arsenal nor Manchester United won the Premier League that season. For the first time since 1995, neither of the two giants claimed the title, as Chelsea lifted the coveted trophy.
Yasmine Green
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
