Five things to look out for this weekend, feat. Arsenal and Liverpool

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Arsene Wenger breaking his Jose Mourinho hoodoo

At lunchtime on Saturday afternoon one of the fiercest managerial rivalries in world football resumes when Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho go head to head once more at Old Trafford. To say that there is an element of animosity between the pair is a genuine understatement. The rivalry dates back as far as 2005 when Mourinho initially burst onto the English football scene during his first spell with Chelsea and has been characterised by verbal jousting (such as the “specialist in failure” exchange), controversy over transfers (Ashley Cole’s move to Stamford Bridge in 2006) and even physical altercations pitch-side (when the two met in October 2014). Perhaps the most remarkable facet of the history between the two is that Mourinho appears to hold some kind of mystique hoodoo over the Frenchman over the course of ninety minutes – Wenger has never beaten his Portuguese advisory in a competitive match, a run of thirteen fixtures.

However, this weekend may just be the moment that Wenger comes out on top. Arsenal have made an impressive start to the new  season, currently sitting just two points behind table-topping Liverpool in the Premier League, with recent results suggesting that The Gunners are genuine title contenders. The same cannot be said for United who are currently six points behind their opponents and trail the league leaders by eight points. The result on Saturday will probably determine the long-term fate of each club’s season. A win for Wenger would help to underline Arsenal’s title credentials whilst leaving United nine points shy of a place in the top four.