Jose Mourinho vs Rafa Benitez… the latest chapter in one of the Premier League’s biggest-ever rivalries
Both managers have tried to play the rivalry down this week, but don’t you believe a word of it, following 12-year spat
THE Premier League resumes this weekend, and so does the rivalry between Jose Mourinho and Rafa Benitez, as United take on Newcastle United at Old Trafford.
Both managers have tried to play the rivalry down this week, but don’t you believe a word of it.
Their feud's been bubbling away since 2005, when Benitez's Liverpool knocked Mourinho’s Chelsea out of the Champions League semi-final, thanks to a controversial Luis Garcia goal.
Since then, the pair have exchanged blows in charge of Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, with Mourinho’s comments even stooping as low as mentioning the Spaniard’s diet and wife.
The pair have different aspirations this campaign, but even at this early stage, it’s a must-win fixture for them both.
With only 11 games played, and with Pep Guardiola’s side kicking off earlier in the day, United could find themselves 11 points behind the blue half of Manchester by Saturday tea-time.
For Newcastle, they are in desperate need of a result to prove to their supporters the surprise home defeat to Bournemouth was nothing more than a blip.
...And that they’ll quickly be back on the road towards 40 Premier League points and safety.
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It won’t be easy though, with United unbeaten in 22 Premier League games at home, winning their last six in a row without conceding.
On top of that, they've only lost one of their last 32 league games against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
If Benitez does manage to pull off an unlikely, but not impossible win tomorrow, he would become the first manager in Premier League history to win at Old Trafford with three different clubs, having won there with Chelsea and Liverpool.
A record I’m sure he’s aware of.
Despite the obvious gulf in class and reports that both have "mellowed", don’t forget what’s gone on before.
Some personal records are on the line too, with a positive result for either manager crucial, as they gear up for the start of the most hectic period of the season.
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As it turns out, the last international break of the year might have come at a fortunate time for United and allowed Mourinho some much needed time to reflect.
On Thursday there were reports he’s close to signing a new contract, and later in the day, the club announced a record turnover of £141million for the third quarter of 2017.
There’s good news on the pitch as well and despite a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Chelsea two weeks ago, Mourinho’s side remain Manchester City’s most likely title challengers this season.
The return of Paul Pogba, Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic shouldn’t be far away.
And Romelu Lukaku ended his sticky patch in front of goal in midweek and in doing so became Belgium’s all-time leading scorer.
Confidence, you hope, restored.
The United versus Newcastle game might not be the swashbuckling affair it used to be in the mid 90’s.
But it could kick start a run of good form both sets of supporters would welcome.
Whatever happens, don’t expect the victorious manager to be quiet about it... there’s plenty of fuel left in this one.
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