19 shares Sandwiched by his two biggest foes, Wenger is handed vase engraved with special message on his final trip to Old Trafford as Arsenal manager
Flanked by his two most bitter adversaries in football, Arsene Wenger could have been forgiven for questioning what exactly was in the box.
We were moments from kick-off and the outgoing Arsenal manager had been plucked from his place in the dugout by Jose Mourinho to meet Sir Alex Ferguson on the touchline.
Ferguson greeted Wenger with a kind embrace and invited a reluctant Mourinho to join them as he gave the Frenchman his leaving gift and warm applause broke out from all four corners of Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson present Arsene Wenger with a gift to mark his departure
The Arsenal manager was given a warm welcome by two of his biggest rivals on Sunday
The vase and inscription, which was presented to Wenger by Ferguson and Mourinho
It was an engraved silver vase in a presentation case, but Wenger must have been tempted to double check.
After all, no other managers have been quite as critical, even cruel, about Wenger over his 22 years in English football as Ferguson and Mourinho. Here, on his 28th and final visit to Old Trafford as Arsenal manager, they were queuing up to pay their respects. It’s funny how people change towards you when you’re on the way out.
Ferguson experienced the adulation and acclaim of his peers when he departed the stage here five years ago with another Premier League title under his belt.
Wenger, on the other hand, leaves on a rather different note, eased out by his employers in a move that has hardly caused uproar among supporters.
Ferguson, for one, believes the moment is right for his old adversary to bid farewell.
‘I think he knows himself that it’s time,’ he said.
Ferguson believes that the time is right for his old adversary to bid farewell to the club
‘He did 22 years: it’ll not be done again. It’s not easy in the modern world to manage a club for that length of time and it takes an exceptional person to do that.’
In the build-up to the game, Mourinho had said he regretted some of his more vitriolic attacks on Wenger and Ferguson, too, was at pains to put their enmity into perspective.
Marouane Fellaini celebrates after scoring Manchester United's winner against Arsenal
It was always said about the Scot that the more he feared a rival manager, the more he would target him.
No-one was targeted more than Wenger as United and Arsenal locked horns in the greatest rivalry of the Premier League era.
‘In my time we had a few arguments but I did always really respect the man because he did a fantastic job at his club,’ added Ferguson.
‘We have dinner every year now at the coaching meetings in Switzerland and we go to the same little restaurant. We enjoy the company. You get older and you forget all the battles in the sense of what they meant at the time.
Hector Bellerin of Arsenal looks dejected after his team conceded a late goal at Old Trafford
‘United against Arsenal was great for the game. It made the Premier League. We had to beat them. Had to. There were some almighty battles because here were two teams and two managers battling for one award — the Premier League.’
Not these days. Victory here confirmed United’s place in next season’s Champions League but Wenger will have to emulate Mourinho and win the Europa League to restore his club to Europe’s top table.
Arsenal could still be overtaken for sixth place by Burnley. Hopefully for him, that vase won’t be the last prize he gets his hands on in the coming weeks.
Wenger looks on as his team's terrible run away from home continued on Sunday afternoon
As that familiar figure headed down the Old Trafford tunnel for probably the last time, still looking impeccable in his club suit and tie, it was not the way that Wenger would have wanted to go out.
Then again, not everybody gets to write their own script like Ferguson. ‘That respect will all come out now,’ said United’s manager of 26 years, speaking from experience.
‘He goes down in the history books for their club.
‘His contribution to the Premier League has been huge. You can’t ignore the job he’s done — it’s been absolutely fantastic.’
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