Klopp vs Pep & the EPL's best managerial rivalries - ranked

Pep Guardiola has often referred to Jurgen Klopp as "the best rival I ever had in my life," highlighting the intensity of their competition. However, with Klopp potentially nearing the end of his tenure at Liverpool, Sunday's upcoming Premier League clash between Liverpool and Manchester City might mark the conclusion of their sideline encounters.

The ongoing battle between Guardiola and Klopp has brought a captivating dynamic to the Premier League, with their relentless drive and competitiveness shaping the competition in significant ways. As Klopp's potential departure looms in May, after nine impactful seasons at Anfield, it's evident that their rivalry has left an indelible mark on English football.

While their rivalry stands out, it begs the question: how does it compare to other legendary managerial clashes witnessed in the Premier League's history?

legendary managerial clashes witnessed in the Premier League's history

7. Sam Allardyce vs Arsene Wenger

Sam Allardyce may not have matched Arsene Wenger's trophy haul, but he relished the occasions when his teams got the better of Wenger's Arsenal. Wenger often spoke condescendingly of Allardyce's robust sides. Bolton notably dented Arsenal's title hopes in the 2002-03 season by coming back from a two-goal deficit to secure a 2-2 draw. Allardyce also secured a significant victory over Arsenal during his tenure at Blackburn, a 2-1 win in 2010 that effectively ended Arsenal's title challenge.

Allardyce admitted in his autobiography that he took particular pleasure in defeating Arsenal during his time at Bolton. He felt his team had gotten under Wenger's skin, and the Frenchman seemingly harbored animosity towards them. Allardyce recalled an instance at Highbury where Wenger refused to shake his hand after a draw, displaying visible frustration. Wenger's reactions suggested he took the results personally and was somewhat arrogant about it.

6. Mourinho vs Guardiola

Mourinho and Guardiola's relationship shifted from being colleagues at Barcelona to becoming fierce rivals in management. Their rivalry intensified during memorable clashes such as the Champions League semi-final between Inter Milan and Barcelona, and further escalated when Mourinho took charge of Real Madrid. One particularly scandalous incident occurred during a heated Clasico in 2011 when Mourinho poked Guardiola's assistant, Tito Vilanova, in the eye.

Expectations were high for renewed fireworks when Guardiola became manager of Manchester City in 2016, with Mourinho leading Manchester United. However, their managerial showdown in the Premier League failed to live up to the hype. Guardiola's City dominated the league, clinching the title with a record-breaking 100 points. While United did manage to spoil City's planned title celebrations with a remarkable comeback victory at the Etihad Stadium, it was a rare highlight in City's era of dominance in Manchester.

5. Roberto Mancini vs Sir Alex Ferguson

Roberto Mancini's arrival at Manchester City marked a shift in the dynamic between City and United, drawing the ire of Sir Alex Ferguson. While United initially had the upper hand in their encounters, the tide turned with City's victories in pivotal matches. The turning point came with City's win over United in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final, followed by their triumph over their rivals to clinch the Premier League title in 2012. A crucial moment in that title race was City's 1-0 victory over United, during which Ferguson and Mancini were involved in a heated exchange on the sidelines, requiring intervention from officials.

After United reclaimed the title convincingly the following season, Mancini suggested that other teams weren't giving their best against Ferguson's side. Ferguson dismissed Mancini's claims, labeling them as "absolute nonsense."

4. Jose Mourinho vs Antonio Conte

The rivalry between Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte stems from their similar tactical approaches and strong personalities, yet they have a strained relationship. Tensions escalated when Conte's Chelsea defeated Mourinho's Manchester United 4-0 in 2016, prompting Mourinho to accuse Conte of "humiliating us" with his animated celebrations.

Conte further fueled the feud by remarking that he didn't want his Chelsea team to have "a Mourinho season" after winning the 2017 Premier League title, referencing Chelsea's previous struggles after winning the title under Mourinho in 2015. In response, Mourinho subtly mocked Conte's hair transplant, stating, "I'm not going to lose my hair about Antonio Conte."

The animosity intensified as Mourinho brought up Conte's alleged involvement in a match-fixing scandal in Italy, prompting Conte to retaliate by calling Mourinho "a little man."

3. Jose Mourinho vs Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger's tenure at Arsenal included the remarkable achievement of leading the team to an unbeaten Premier League title in the 2003-2004 season. However, his dominance was soon challenged by a new rival who embodied characteristics contrasting to Wenger's style.
Wenger criticized Chelsea's seemingly unlimited financial resources, particularly evident when

Arsenal lost Ashley Cole to Chelsea. Jose Mourinho, known for his flamboyance and outspoken nature, took pleasure in provoking Wenger, famously labeling him a "specialist in failure" during his second stint with Chelsea in 2014.

2. Jurgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola

When Jurgen Klopp announced his impending departure at the end of the season, Pep Guardiola couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, anticipating a better night's sleep before facing his old adversary. Guardiola openly admitted that the days leading up to matches against Klopp were "almost a nightmare". The statistics support Guardiola's sentiment, with Klopp having defeated Guardiola 12 times, making him the only coach to have faced the Catalan on four or more occasions and won more games than lost.

However, in terms of trophies, Guardiola has overshadowed Klopp, boasting 16 titles compared to the German's eight. Additionally, Guardiola's Manchester City clinched the Premier League title twice by edging out Liverpool by a single point each time. With a third installment of their captivating title rivalry expected this season, and with Arsenal potentially joining the fray to make it a three-way battle, it would be fitting if Klopp's final Premier League match saw him pitted against Guardiola for the league crown one last time.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson vs Arsene Wenger

The rivalry between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger is unparalleled in terms of tension and mutual animosity, overshadowing even the thrilling football and impressive point totals achieved by Guardiola and Klopp's teams in the Premier League.

Ferguson harbored an instant dislike for Wenger upon the latter's arrival in English football in 1996, despite acknowledging Wenger's innovative ideas regarding nutrition and tactics. This disdain only deepened when Arsenal usurped United to claim the Premier League title in 1998. However, United gained revenge by securing the treble in 1999 and eliminating Arsenal in a memorable FA Cup semi-final replay.

The rivalry reached its zenith in 2004, highlighted by an infamous incident dubbed "The Battle of the Buffet." This occurred after United controversially ended Arsenal's 49-game unbeaten run, with Cesc Fabregas comically hurling a slice of pizza at Ferguson. Arsenal's symbolic triumph at Old Trafford in 2002 further fueled the intensity of the Ferguson-Wenger feud.