I am open to truce with Mourinho, says Wenger

ARSÈNE Wenger has claimed that he would be willing one day to make “peace” with his long-standing rival José Mourinho.

Wenger’s truce offering comes in the wake of one of the most poisonous and one-sided rivalries in English football when Arsenal host Manchester United today.

A fixture that once enjoyed the cachet of a heavyweight title fight — and often resembled one on the pitch as England’s pre-eminent teams slugged it out — has been relegated in status with United fifth and the Gunners sixth in the Premier League.

Wenger regularly clashed with Mourinho during the Portuguese’s two stints as Chelsea manager, the rivalry spilling over into a touchline shoving match during an October 2014 match at Stamford Bridge.

The pair resume hostilities today competing for a place in the Premier League top four.

Asked if peace could be made with United manager Mourinho, Wenger told reporters: “I am open always in life for everything, you know, for peace.

“But what is important when you are a competitor is that you give absolutely everything to win the next game.”

With today’s match sandwiched between the two legs of United’s Europa League semifinal against Celta Vigo, Mourinho has indicated he will rest players for the trip to north London.

Wenger said that if Arsenal failed to qualify for next season’s Champions League, he would follow Mourinho’s lead by making the Europa League a priority.

“I take every competition seriously,” he said.

United’s struggles in the post[Alex] Ferguson era have been held up as a warning to fans calling for Wenger to go, but he says his departure could prove to be a good thing.

“It can as well go better from when I leave one day,” said the 67-year-old Frenchman, who has been in charge at Arsenal since 1996.

“You know, when you are such a long time at a club like I am, like Ferguson was, it is a little bit like when you have children. You want them to be happy.”

Wenger will be attempting to buck two damaging trends today.

He has still never defeated Mourinho in 15 competitive matches and, of the top-flight’s top seven, his team have beaten only Chelsea in the league this season. — ©