Rio Ferdinand calls out Patrick Vieira in Instagram throwback

What you saying @officialpatrickvieira ?!! #throwback #mufc #arsenal

A photo posted by Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) on Oct 11, 2016 at 12:47am PDT

Manchester United’s biggest threats are closer to home these days but for a long period their fiercest rivals were Arsenal.

The Red Devils battled Arsenal for the title over six years from 1998 to 2004 and the rivalry soured in 2003 after the ‘Battle of Old Trafford’.

Rio Ferdinand moved to Old Trafford in 2002 and played 90 minutes in that infamous clash at the Theatre of Dreams.

Patrick Vieira, Arsenal’s captain that day, was sent off after kicking out at Ruud Van Nistelrooy during the 0-0 draw and Ferdinand light-heartedly called out the Frenchman in a throwback photo on Instagram today remembering that clash.

Vieira was sent off in the clash for an altercation with Van Nistelrooy (Picture: Getty)

Ferdinand posted a picture of the pair from the match and asked: “What you saying?!” before tagging Vieira in the post.

Van Nistelrooy’s penalty miss meant Arenal maintained their unbeaten start to the season and Arsene Wenger’s men would preserve that record throughout the remainder of the season to become only the second English side to go unbeaten throughout an entire league campaign.

Martin Keown was banned for three matches for goading Van Nistelrooy after his penalty miss (Picture: Getty)