i'm bored, so i'll explain myself again, i don't have "rivalry" with arsenal fans, I don't know very many, there was only one or two at school, I only converse with one or two now, pessimistic ones who just moan about them all the time, not ones to lord it or gloat when they beat us
liverpool fans on the other hand, surrounded by them all my life, gloating when they win a corner, stating every single player to wear that red shirt is the greatest player in the world in that position, they have never been beaten in a game, only cheated, in short they are all, to a man, deluded tossers
also, in my formative football years (the mid 80's), it wasn't arsenal we were trying to finish ahead of, it was liverpool and everton, they were the "rivals", the ones we had our eye on, it seems to me that over the last 30 years (my football life) we have spent more time on a level with the dippers (not that we were in their late 80's pomp) than we have with the arse, between us and our neighbours the differentiation has normally been greater
if they were not in such close proximity would anyone feel any different about them as they do the Manchester Clubs? if they were still in woolwich they would be no different to west ham or chelsea
you shouldn't pick your rivalries based solely on who's closest, that is illogical, even more so for me as I have no link whatsoever to the Tottenham area, it's a very English trait, look at Spain, look at American sport (you have to get a plane between Dallas and Philadelphia but it's still murderous), rivalries are built on on-field historicity or by fundamental political (or even religious) principles
to sum up, arsenal amuse and annoy me in equal measure, liverpool anger me, greatly