The Apprentice v The Master
IF things go as most expect, the rivalry between David Moyes and Jose Mourinho will become the most intense personal battle in the Premier League for many seasons to come.
They are in charge of the two most ruthless trophy-gathering machines English football has known in the modern era.
In the last decade, United have won 10 major trophies, Chelsea have collected 11.
Both men are 50, both have achieved far more as coaches than they did as players, both are as passionate as it’s possible to be on the touchline. There, though, the similarities end. Mourinho is a proven winner, having secured League titles in four different European countries, not to mention a couple of Champions Leagues and several domestic cups.
Moyes has won nothing. No-one expected Everton to win the League, but while he was there, 13 clubs won domestic cups, including Wigan, Swansea, Birmingham, Blackburn, Leicester, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth.
In 11 years, the Scot never won an away game at Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United.
When the two eyeball each other across their technical areas tomorrow night, the Portuguese will know that Moyes hasn’t beaten one of his sides in six attempts.
Moyes can’t even turn to predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson to ask how to combat the Special One. Fergie faced Mourinho 16 times and won just twice.
If Jose can dominate the master, what chance the apprentice?
Psychologically speaking, the Chelsea boss holds all the cards.
He started the mind games early, attempting to rattle Moyes with his bid for Wayne Rooney and some faint praise about how he did well to keep Everton competitive.
Moyes has chosen not to enter the arena, perhaps because he knows that in any word joust with Jose, he’d probably lose.
Public utterances have been kept deliberately low key and to a bare minimum. Friday was his first full-scale media conference since he was unveiled as United boss in early July.
The football has been doing the talking. He’s secured the Community Shield and opened the Premier League season with an impressive win at Swansea.
Tomorrow’s kick-off is 8pm but it’s the equivalent of Moyes’ High Noon. It’s time for the quiet, stoic lawman to confront the confident, slick gunslinger.
For all the peripherals that surround their showdown, it will come down to just how good a tactician Moyes is when he’s faced by the man who has more control of his players and flow of the game than any other modern-day coach.