Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp could have their final dance within the Premier League on Sunday as Manchester Metropolis go to Liverpool in a top-of-the-table conflict at Anfield.
It brings to an finish an 11-year rivalry which started in Germany and can culminate in what may become a Premier League title decider.
Sunday will make the most recent installment within the rivalry which has heightened between the 2 golf equipment, who’ve been going head-to-head for main honours since Guardiola and Klopp’s arrival.
The rivalry has remained respectful all through, particularly when in comparison with some bitter feuds between Premier League managers previously.
Forward of their ultimate encounter within the prime flight, Mail Sport ranks the place the Guardiola and Klopp rivalry ranks in Premier League historical past.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will meet for the ultimate time earlier than the previous leaves Liverpool
6. Conte vs Mourinho
Issues began to show bitter between the 2 on Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge as supervisor of Manchester United in October 2016.
Conte’s Chelsea vanquished Mourinho’s United 4-0 and the Portuguese supervisor took a dig at his opponent’s touchline antics, claiming the Italian had ‘humiliated’ him.
‘You do not rejoice like that at 4-0,’ he mentioned. ‘You are able to do it at 1-0. In any other case it is humiliating for us.’
Six months later Conte took a swipe at United’s spending. The earlier summer season noticed Paul Pogba transfer to Previous Trafford for a document £89M price.
The Italian mentioned: ‘I feel this season it is essential to grasp that it isn’t at all times who spends extra money wins.
In 2018 Mourinho referred to as him a ‘clown’ on the touchline and referenced his suspension for failing to report alleged match-fixing when in Italy.
The then-Chelsea supervisor riposted by calling his counterpart a ‘little man’.
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte had a brief however bitter rivalry at Man United and Chelsea
5. Benitez vs Ferguson
In a explosive press convention in 2009, Benitez, studying from a sheet of paper, listed a sequence of ‘info’, accusing Ferguson of manipulating referees in his favour.
‘He’s the one supervisor within the league that can not be punished for these items,’ Benitez mentioned. ‘All managers have to know is that solely Mr Ferguson can discuss in regards to the fixtures, can discuss referees – and nothing occurs.’
The Scotsman denied these claims, calling them ‘completely ridiculous’.
4 months later the Spaniard refused an invite to congratulate Ferguson on successful the league.
In November 2012, the United supervisor mentioned Benitez was ‘fortunate’ to get the Chelsea job.
The pair didn’t shake fingers in Might 2013.
Rafa Benitez famously accused Ferguson of manipulating referees in his well-known ‘info’ rant
4. Mourinho vs Benitez
The pair touched down in England in 2004 and took the respective Chelsea and Liverpool jobs inside 12 days of one another.
Mourinho’s Chelsea gained the primary three encounters in opposition to Liverpool – together with a Carling Cup ultimate – earlier than the controversial Champions League semi-final second leg in 2005.
After the primary leg led to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost aim’ despatched Liverpool to the ultimate, the Reds successful 1-0 at Anfield.
However the Chelsea supervisor was adamant the ball did not cross the road.
‘You possibly can say the linesman scored,’ Mourinho mentioned. ‘It was a aim coming from the moon or from the Anfield stands. The most effective staff misplaced and did not should lose.’
The 2 additionally refused to shake fingers following Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final win in 2006 and the Group Defend. Benitez additionally took a swipe at Mourinho labelling himself the ‘particular one’ and criticised his unfavourable type of play.
Mourinho and Benitez had a frosty relationship amid a sequence of high-profile matches
3. Klopp vs Guardiola
The pair have confronted one another greater than they’ve confronted some other opponent throughout their careers – 29 instances.
Klopp’s 11 wins is probably the most by any supervisor in opposition to Guardiola, whereas the Spaniard’s 10 victories is probably the most by any supervisor in opposition to the German.
Since 2018 they’re the one two sides to have gained the league in England, with their battles typically determined by positive margins.
Metropolis have twice edged out Liverpool by a single level to assert the Premier League title on the ultimate day of the season.
‘Klopp is the most effective rival I ever had in my life,’ Guardiola mentioned on the information of Klopp’s departure, including he’ll now ‘sleep higher’.
Klopp and Guardiola have had mutual respect throughout their groups battled for silverware
2. Mourinho vs Wenger
At a time when the Premier League appeared to be a battle between two of probably the most iconic soccer minds of the current period, some followers might need been crying out for a breath of contemporary air to liven issues up.
Enter Jose Mourinho. The Particular One arrived simply after beautiful the world with Porto and lit the Premier League on hearth.
In six conferences with Wenger in his first three years within the top-flight Mourinho went unbeaten in opposition to the Frenchman, the Arsenal icon unable to discover a well beyond his latest and fiercest rival.
It was a tense relationship, and each Wenger and Mourinho made barbs at each other within the press, whereas the duo had been concerned in quite a few touchline spats after Mourinho took the reins at Stamford Bridge.
‘My rivalry was extra with the golf equipment than the individuals, I by no means made any statements on a private degree,’ Wenger informed Sky Sports activities by way of Football Daily.
‘I had a variety of aggravations with [José] Mourinho on the time as a result of I felt that Chelsea had been the primary membership that got here in and spent cash they did not earn.’
Arsene Wenger pushed Jose Mourinho throughout a Chelsea v Arsenal match again in 2014
Whereas pantomime in nature at instances, the 2 took place as near blows as two middle-aged – at greatest – males in fits can get. In 2014, after Mourinho dubbed his rival ‘a specialist in failure’, the 2 turned heated and the Chelsea boss pushed Wenger.
The Arsenal boss responded by flicking his tie. Hefty blow. In 19 conferences in all competitions, Mourinho solely misplaced twice to Wenger. Discuss having your opponent’s quantity.
1. Ferguson vs Wenger
Klopp and Guardiola have by no means hidden their admiration for each other. Their relationship includes extra reward and respect than hatred. The identical cannot be mentioned about Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
Ferguson and Wenger, the 2 best managers in every membership’s historical past, fought a bitter 17-year feud as Manchester United and Arsenal dominated the nation from 1996 to 2004. They had been the one two groups to win the league over these eight years.
‘It turned poisonous for some time,’ Ferguson mentioned after he retired.
Tensions boiled over when United controversially defeated the north London facet 2-0 at Previous Trafford, ending their record-breaking 49-match unbeaten run. It spilled over into the tunnel and Ferguson obtained a slice of pizza to the face, courtesy of Cesc Fabregas.
Over the 17 years, the Scotsman claimed 23 wins to the Frenchman’s 16.
Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his relationship with Arsene Wenger was poisonous for some time earlier than thawing