Highlights

  • Wenger and Ferguson shared similar personality traits of a fierce will to win and a tendency to lose their tempers when things didn't go their way.
  • Ferguson had a more fearsome and unpredictable approach before big games, while Wenger created an environment of invincibility, playing motivational music like Tina Turner.
  • Both managers have praised each other in the past, with Ferguson calling Wenger one of the greatest Premier League managers, and Wenger acknowledging Ferguson's remarkable 25-year tenure at Man Utd.

Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson are undoubtedly two of the greatest managers of the Premier League era. While they were clearly very different characters in many ways, they did share similar personality traits. Both men possessed a fierce will to win and had a tendency to lose their tempers when things weren't going their way.

Ferguson was far more fearsome but Wenger also had an edge to him - just ask the likes of Jose Mourinho, Alan Pardew and, indeed, Fergie himself. At the height of the Manchester United vs Arsenal rivalry in the early-2000s, Ferguson and Wenger disliked each other. However, the relationship between the two eventually softened over time - starting when Arsenal began to become less of a force - and they'd now consider themselves acquaintances, if not friends.

Ferguson and WengerHow Ferguson and Wenger differed before big games

But how did the two Premier League legends differ in their approach before big games? Well, Rio Ferdinand (one of the best defenders that Ferguson signed during his 26-year spell as Man Utd manager) and Martin Keown (a member of Wenger's title-winning sides in 1998, 2002 and 2004) revealed all during a funny discussion on BT Sport back in 2017.

"You just never knew what was coming," Ferdinand said. "If he called you to his office, it was like going to the head teacher's. He called you to his office and everyone would start laughing at you and you're going: 'Oh my God, what have I done now?'. You start thinking: 'What have I done? Have I stepped out of line anywhere?'. You get in there and he's like: 'Are you ready today?'. I remember we played against Newcastle away at St James' Park. We were on the coach and he slapped me on the head. I'm a grown man thinking 'what are you doing?'.

Sir Alex and Rio Ferdinand

"He went: 'Craig Bellamy's been talking about you. He's told a few people that he' going to destroy you today - are you ready for that? Don't come back on the coach if he's destroyed you'. Little things like that to really get his players going and to get us stoked up. He knew how to press buttons, it's great management."

Keown was then asked how Wenger differed in his approach before big games. He said: "Arsene was quite different. He created an environment of invincibility. Playing the music, 'Simply The Best', before we'd rock up at a stadium." Before the retired defender could finish his sentence, Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Jake Humphrey all burst out laughing.

BT Sport pundits

"What am I hearing here?!" Ferdinand exclaimed. "No way! Was this your playlist? Were you dropping moves?". Humphrey added: "So those wins were inspired by Tina Turner?". Watch the funny clip below:

While the idea of Arsenal's revered Invincibles listening to Tina Turner classics before big games is obviously very amusing, it clearly had the desired effect for Wenger at the time. Only Sir Alex (13) and Pep Guardiola (five) have won more Premier League titles than the legendary Frenchman.

Furthermore, nobody has taken charge of more Premier League games than Wenger (828), or managed in more Premier League seasons (22). A lot of managers have weird and wonderful methods to motivate their players and Wenger was clearly no different.

Premier League's title-winning managers

Rank

Manager

Club

Titles

1.

Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United

(13) 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13

2.

Pep Guardiola

Manchester City

(5) 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23

3=

Arsene Wenger

Arsenal

(3) 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04

3=

Jose Mourinho

Chelsea

(3) 2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15

5=

Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea

(1) 2009–10

5=

Antonio Conte

Chelsea

(1) 2016–17

5=

Kenny Dalglish

Blackburn Rovers

(1) 1994–95

5=

Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool

(1) 2019–20

5=

Roberto Mancini

Manchester City

(1) 2011–12

5=

Manuel Pellegrini

Manchester City

(1) 2013–14

5=

Claudio Ranieri

Leicester City

(1) 2015–16

Ferguson on Wenger's Invincible season

Speaking in 2021, Ferguson paid tribute to Arsenal's unbeaten Premier League campaign under Wenger, commenting: "The achievement stands above everything else." That's something that the former Manchester United boss would ever have publicly admitted years earlier, but it highlights how an unlikely friendship ultimately blossomed between the two former rivals over time.

"I am really happy for Arsene Wenger. I have great respect for him and for the job he has done at Arsenal," Ferguson said after Wenger announced his decision to retire at the end of the 2017-18 campaign in April 2018. "It is a great testament to his talent, professionalism and determination that he has been able to dedicate 22 years of his life to a job he loves.

"In an area where football managers sometimes only last one or two seasons, it shows what an achievement it is to serve that length of time at a club the size of Arsenal. I am pleased that he has announced he is leaving at this stage of the season, as he can now have the send-off that he truly deserves. He is, without doubt, one of the greatest Premier League managers and I am proud to have been a rival, a colleague and a friend to such a great man."

Wenger and Ferguson

Wenger has also praised Ferguson in the past

Similarly, Wenger paid tribute to Ferguson back in 2011, two years before the latter announced his retirement. As he prepared to celebrate his 25 years at Old Trafford, Wenger said: "What can you say? People are talking about it a lot at the moment. All you can say is that it is remarkable through the quality and the consistency.

"It is exceptional as well because I don't know anybody at the top level who has done 25 years at the top level with the same club. Certainly never anybody will do it again." Asked whether he could achieve the same feat at Arsenal, Wenger added: "The distance is a bit far, that would be 10 more years. I am already happy if I make this year a good season after all of this!"

Wenger and Ferguson

READ MORE: 20 Greatest Defenders In Premier League History (Ranked)