Game could be just a sideshow
ARSENAL’S WENGER V UNITED’S MOURINHO There is no love lost between these bitter adeversaries.
When Arsenal face Manchester United in a crucial Premier League clash today, the antics of the two sworn enemies on the touchline will take up as much attention as the actual match.
It was ever thus when Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and United manager Jose Mourinho lock horns. The acrimony between them stretches back to the arrival of the Portuguese coach in England 13 years ago.
Verbal volleys have been traded time and again, with the enmity once boiling over into a memorable mid-match bout of shoving.
Even now, with Wenger 68, and Mourinho 54, neither boss seems ready to act their age.
Why do the old foes hate each other so much? Here AFP Sports looks back at the roots of the rivalry and recalls some of their more spectacular battles:
Wenger labelled a “voyeur”
When Mourinho joined Chelsea in 2004, his brash personality didn’t take long to ruffle Wenger, who didn’t take kindly to being threatened by the young upstart.
When Wenger took a shot at Chelsea by claiming they might have lost belief after a couple of poor results in the 2005/06 season, Mourinho went on the offensive with a memorable, if unkind, description of the Arsenal manager.
“I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people,” he said.
Style wars
The saying goes that opposites attract, but the contrast between the urbane Wenger and the spiky Mourinho couldn’t be more obvious and neither has been willing to end the cold war.
The differences between the rivals’ approach to their careers are striking.
Former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto coach Mourinho has never lasted more than three years anywhere, while Wenger is in the 21st year of his Arsenal reign.
“Specialist in failure”
Three words delivered in typically witheringly fashion by Mourinho struck at the heart of Wenger’s weakness in February 2014.
“The reality is he’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure. If I did that in Chelsea I’d leave London and not come back.”
Push comes to shove
Furious after Chelsea defender Gary Cahill’s ugly tackle on Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez in the first half of a spiteful London derby, Wenger came out of his technical area to remonstrate with referee Martin Atkinson.
Mourinho didn’t miss the chance to have his say and Wenger responded with a shove in the chest of his rival, who stumbled before regaining his balance and pointing to tell the Frenchman to get back to the bench. The pair clashed again seconds later.
With Chelsea winning the October 2014 meeting 2-0 to inflict the Gunners’ first league defeat of the season, it was no surprise there was no handshake between the bosses at full-time. –
AFP
Today:
Chelsea v Newcastle, Brighton v Liverpool, Leicester City v Burnley, West Brom v Crystal Palace, Watford v Tottenham Hotspur, Everton v Huddersfield Town; Stoke City v Swansea City, Arsenal v Manchester United.
Bournemouth v Southampton, Manchester City v West Ham United.
Tomorrow: