BRFC Home
BRFC Home
 
Blackburn Rovers vs the Big Four

The "Big Four" clubs (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) have dominated the top 4 spots in the English Premier League Table for years. Not including European honours, Man Utd won the English Premier League 11 times, Arsenal 3 times, and Chelsea twice. Blackburn, on the other hand, won the League once in 1994/95.
Ininix uses this page to discuss how
a small town club, Blackburn Rovers has stood against the likes of these city giants.
   
 

Top clubs in the Premier League table would qualify for European competitions, which would bring in increased revenue and many more benefits. And with large investments being ploughed into their clubs by owners, these top clubs can maintain their spending spree attracting world-class players with huge wage offers. Furthermore, these clubs have higher stadium attendances, with Man Utd averaging 75300 in average, compared to Rovers a lowly 23480.

As of this date, Blackburn Rovers supporters should be proud to know that the club who has the best record against the big four is Rovers, and not Everton nor Tottenham. During the Premier League era since 1992, Rovers has the best record, averaging one point per game.
Martin Tyler has provided a rundown of all of the current Premier League teams' against the Big Four records in this table.

Table from Martin Tyler's blog

 
 
Rovers heads-on with the Big Four

 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  Won 5 Won 7 Won 11 Won 6 Won 10  
 

Drawn 8

Drawn 7 Drawn 8 Drawn 10 Drawn 8  
  Lost 17 Lost 17 Lost 11 Lost 14 Lost 5  
  Goal Difference 31-53 Goal Difference 28-57 Goal Difference 35-40 Goal Difference 33-49 Goal Difference 37-26  
 



Below are the Premier League match results of Blackburn vs the Big four, with the inclusion of the world's richest club Manchester City.

Premier League Season 1992-93

Season Highlights: Start of the FA Premier League with 22 teams. Arsenal won 2 domestic cups.

 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  0-0 Draw (24 Oct) 1-0 Win (18 Aug) 0-0 Draw (26 Aug) 2-1 Lost (13 Dec) 1-0 Win (22 Aug)  
 

3-1 Lost (3 May)

0-1 Win (12 Sep) 2-0 Win (21 Feb) 4-1 Win (3 Apr) 3-2 Lost (30 Jan)  
  1 Draw 1 Lost 2 Wins 1 Win 1 Draw 1 Win 1 Lost 1 Win 1 Lost  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd -1st, Blackburn - 4th, Liverpool - 6th, Man City - 9th, Arsenal - 10th, Chelsea - 11th  
 

Premier League Season 1993-94
Season Highlights: FA Premier League sponsored by Carling Breweries for 8 years. Man Utd won FA Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  1-1 Draw (26 Dec) 1-1 Draw (1 Sep) 2-1 Win (14 Sep) 0-1 win (12 Sep) 0-2 Win (24 Aug)  
  2-0 Win (2 Apr) 1-0 Lost (26 Feb) 2-0 Win (5 Dec) 2-0 win (5 Mar) 2-0 Win (18 Dec)  
  1 Win 1 Draw 1 Draw 1 Lost 2 Wins 2 Wins 2 Wins  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Blackburn - 2nd, Arsenal - 4th, Liverpool - 8th, Chelsea - 14th, Man City - 16th  
 

Premier League Season 1994-95
Season Highlights: Liverpool won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  2-4 Lost (23 Oct) 0-0 Draw (31 Aug) 1-2 Win (18 Sep) 3-2 Win (15 Oct) 1-3 Win (26 Dec)  
  1-0 Lost (22 Jan) 3-1 Win (8 Mar) 2-1 Win (18 Mar) 2-1 Lost (14 May) 2-3 Lost (17 Apr)  
  2 Lost 1 Win 1 Draw 2 Wins 1 Win 1 Lost 1 Win 1 Lost  
  Table Rankings: Blackburn - 1st, Man Utd - 2nd, Liverpool - 4th, Chelsea - 11th, Arsenal - 12th, Man City - 17th  
 

Premier League Season 1995-96
Season Highlights: Manchester City was relegated to the First Division. Man Utd won FA Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  1-2 Lost (28 Aug) 0-0 Draw (26 Nov) 3-0 Win (28 Oct) 3-0 Lost (16 Sep) 2-0 Win (26 Dec)  
  1-0 Lost (10 Feb) 1-1 Draw (27 Apr) 2-3 Win (5 May) 2-3 Lost (24 Feb) 1-1 Draw (2 Mar)  
  2 Lost 2 Draws 2 Wins 2 Lost 1 Win 1 Draw  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Liverpool - 3rd, Arsenal - 5th, Blackburn - 7th, Chelsea - 11th, Man City - 18th  
 

Premier League Season 1996-97
Season Highlights: Chelsea won FA Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  2-2 Draw (25 Aug) 0-2 Lost (12 Oct) 1-1 Draw (16 Nov) 3-0 Win (3 Nov) Man City in 1st Division  
  2-3 Lost (12 Apr) 1-1 Draw (19 Apr) 1-1 Draw (5 Mar) 0-0 Draw (22 Feb) Man City in 1st Division  
  1 Draw 1 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost 2 Draws 1 Win 1 Draw    
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Arsenal - 3rd, Liverpool - 4th, Chelsea - 6th, Blackburn - 13th  
 

Premier League Season 1997-98
Season Highlights: Manchester City relegated to the Division Two. Arsenal won FA Cup. Chelsea won the Cup Winners Cup and League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  4-0 Lost (30 Nov) 1-3 Win (13 Dec) 1-0 Win (22 Nov) 1-1 Draw (23 Aug) Man City in 1st Division  
  1-3 Lost (6 Apr) 1-4 Lost (13 Apr) 0-1 Win (29 Apr) 0-0 Draw (31 Jan) Man City in 1st Division  
  2 Lost 1 Win 1 Lost 2 Wins 2 Draws    
  Table Rankings: Arsenal - 1st, Man Utd - 2nd, Liverpool - 3rd, Chelsea - 4th, Blackburn - 6th  
 

Premier League Season 1998-99
Season Highlights: Manchester City promoted to the Division One. Man Utd won the European Cup and FA Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  3-2 Lost (14 Nov) 1-2 Lost (25 Oct) 3-4 Lost (21 Sep) 2-0 Lost (29 Nov) Man City in 2nd Division  
  0-0 Draw (12 May) 1-0 Lost (6 Apr) 1-1 Draw (17 Feb) 1-3 Lost (24 Apr) Man City in 2nd Division  
  1 Draw 1 Lost 2 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost

2 Lost

   
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Arsenal - 2nd, Chelsea - 3rd, Liverpool - 7th, Blackburn - 19th  
 

Blackburn Rovers was relegated to the English First Division, just 5 years after winning the Premiership title. After two seasons in the First Division, the Club regained promotion for season 2001/02.


Premier League Season 2001-02
Season Highlights: FA Premier League sponsored by Barclaycard from 2001 to 2004. Manchester City promoted to the Premier League. Arsenal won FA Cup. Blackburn won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  2-2 Draw (22 Aug) 3-3 Draw (20 Oct) 0-0 Draw (24 Nov) 1-1 Draw (17 Nov) Man City in 1st Division  
  2-1 Lost (19 Jan) 2-3 Lost (30 Jan) 0-0 Draw (10 Apr) 4-3 Lost (8 May) Man City in 1st Division  
  1 Draw 1 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost 2 Draws

1 Draw 1 Lost

   
  Table Rankings: Arsenal - 1st, Liverpool - 2nd, Man Utd - 3rd, Chelsea - 6th, Blackburn - 10th  
 

Premier League Season 2002-03
Season Highlights: Arsenal won FA Cup. Liverpool won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  1-0 Win (22 Dec) 1-2 Win (26 Oct) 2-3 Lost (11 Sep) 2-2 Draw (28 Aug) 2-2 Draw (15 Sep)  
  3-1 Lost (19 Apr) 2-0 Win (15 Mar) 1-2 Win (22 Feb) 1-1 Draw (26 Dec) 1-0 Win (1 Mar)  
  1 Win 1 Lost 2 Wins 1 Win 1 Lost

2 Draws

1 Win 1 Draw  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Arsenal - 2nd, Chelsea - 4th, Liverpool - 5th, Blackburn - 6th, Man City - 9th  
 

Premier League Season 2003-04
Season Highlights: Man Utd won FA Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  2-1 Lost (22 Nov) 1-0 Lost (14 Dec) 2-2 Draw (30 Aug) 1-3 Lost (13 Sep) 2-3 Lost (25 Aug)  
  1-0 Win (1 May) 0-2 Lost (13 Mar) 2-3 Lost (1 Feb) 4-0 Lost (4 Apr) 1-1 Draw (17 Jan)  
  1 Win 1 Lost 2 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost

2 Lost

1 Draw 1 Lost  
  Table Rankings: Arsenal - 1st, Chelsea - 2nd, Man Utd - 3rd, Liverpool - 4th, Blackburn - 15th, Man City - 16th  
 

Premier League Season 2004-05
Season Highlights: Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League. Arsenal won FA Cup. Chelsea won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  1-1 Draw (28 Aug) 3-0 Lost (25 Aug) 4-0 Lost (23 Oct) 2-2 Draw (30 Oct) 1-1 Draw (13 Nov)  
  0-0 Draw (2 Apr) 0-1 Lost (19 Mar) 0-1 Lost (2 Feb) 0-0 Draw (16 Mar) 0-0 Draw (23 Apr)  
  2 Draws 2 Lost 2 Lost

2 Draws

2 Draws  
  Table Rankings: Chelsea - 1st, Arsenal - 2nd, Man Utd - 3rd, Liverpool - 5th, , Man City - 7th, Blackburn - 15th  
 

Premier League Season 2005-06
Season Highlights: FA Premier League sponsored by Barclays Bank. Liverpool won the UEFA Super Cup and the FA Cup. Man Utd won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  1-2 Win (24 Sep) 3-0 Lost (26 Nov) 4-2 Lost (29 Oct) 1-0 Lost (15 Oct) 0-0 Draw (19 Nov)  
  4-3 Win (1 Feb) 1-0 Win (25 Feb) 1-0 Win (2 May) 0-1 Lost (16 Apr) 2-0 Win (7 May)  
  2 Wins 1 Win 1 Lost 1 Win 1 Lost

2 Lost

1 Win 1 Draw  
  Table Rankings: Chelsea - 1st, Man Utd - 2nd, Liverpool - 3rd, Arsenal - 4th, Blackburn - 6th, Man City - 15th  
 

Premier League Season 2006-07
Season Highlights: Chelsea won two domestic cups.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  0-1 Lost (11 Nov) 6-2 Lost (23 Dec) 0-2 Lost (27 Aug) 1-1 Draw (14 Oct) 4-2 Win (17 Sep)  
  4-1 Lost (31 Mar) 0-2 Lost (13 Jan) 3-0 Lost (31 Jan) 1-0 Win (26 Dec) 0-3 Win (20 Jan)  
  2 Lost 2 Lost 2 Lost

1 Win 1 Draw

2 Wins  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Chelsea - 2nd, Liverpool - 3rd, Arsenal - 4th, Blackburn - 10th, Man City - 14th  
 

Premier League Season 2007-08
Season Highlights: Man Utd won the UEFA Champions League.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
  2-0 Lost (11 Nov) 1-1 Draw (19 Aug) 0-0 Draw (15 Sep) 0-0 Draw (03 Nov) 1-0 Win (02 Sep)  
  1-1 Draw (19 Apr) 2-0 Lost (11 Feb) 0-1 Lost (23 Dec) 3-1 Lost (13 Apr) 2-2 Draw (27 Dec)  
  1 Draw 1 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost 1 Draw 1 Lost

1 Draw 1 Lost

1 Win 1 Draw  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Chelsea - 2nd, Arsenal - 3rd, Liverpool - 4th, Blackburn - 7th, Man City - 9th  
 

Premier League Season 2008-09

Season Highlights: Chelsea won FA Cup. Man Utd won League Cup.
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
 

0-2 Lost (4 Oct)

0-4 Lost (13 Sep) 0-2 Lost (9 Nov) 1-3 Lost (6 Dec) 2-2 Draw (28 Dec)  
  2-1 Lost (21 Feb) 4-0 Lost (14 Mar) 2-0 Lost (17 May) 4-0 Lost (11 Apr) 3-1 Lost (2 May)  
  2 Lost 2 Lost 2 Lost

2 Lost

1 Draw 1 Lost  
  Table Rankings: Man Utd - 1st, Liverpool - 2nd, Chelsea - 3rd, Arsenal - 4th, Man City - 10th, Blackburn - 15th  
 

Premier League Season 2009-10
 
  vs Man Utd vs Arsenal vs Chelsea vs Liverpool vs Man City  
 

6-2 Lost (4 Oct) 5-0 Lost (24 Oct)   0-2 Lost (15 Aug)