Manchester United vs Arsenal
In many ways, it ended when Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
Others will say it was a decade ago when the tension first dissipated, when Manchester United actually stopped having to worry about Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
Either way, it’s been a while since the two men and two clubs were bonded by mutual antipathy.
One football betting certainty, however, is that football games between the two clubs have produced THE standout clashes in the first quarter-century of the Premier League and Premier League betting.
This weekend, the last vestiges of that ultimate rivalry of a generation will be played out.
That it is now Jose Mourinho in the Manchester United dugout – another opponent with whom there is some chequered history – is merely an added footnote to Wenger’s last time as a visiting coach at the Theatre of Dreams.
Wenger will likely receive a decent reception when he departs Old Trafford for the final time.
Home supporters may often have been far from complimentary about the Frenchman, soon to retire after 22 years in charge of the Gunners, but they will respect a rival whose talent made their own team raise their standards; whose innovation in football, diet and exercise helped change the English football landscape; and whose dignity has largely shone brightly (with a few notable exceptions).
If you are a football fan under the age of 30, chances are Wenger will be the only Arsenal manager you will have known.
That will soon change, and it’s the right decision if the club wants to start challenging regularly for the major honours once again.
Remember, this is a side which has not won the Premier League for 14 years and is 33 points adrift of the summit this time around as the campaign draws to a close.
However, first a time to say goodbye to the last man standing from the rivalry which shaped English football, which gave the game the ‘Invincibles’, which created Arsenal at their spellbinding best.
For all the slow decline (even though it brought three FA Cups in four seasons), his best years should be cherished and he deserves affection from even his harshest critics.
It’s time to say ‘Au Revoir Arsene’ at the ground where he fought many of his fiercest battles.
For the latest sports update, promotions and betting picks with SBOBET get social with our official Twitter, Google+, YouTube and Facebook accounts. Visit SBOBET and join us now. Start placing your bets today!
Click for more football betting options.
