Arsene Wenger’s managerial feud with Jose Mourinho, which is well-documented all these years later, will close its Premier League chapter on Sunday when the two bosses match wits at Old Trafford. But first, Manchester City’s pursuit of history forges forward…
[ PL ROUNDUP: Saints go marching up; Chelsea close in on 4th ]
West Ham vs. Man City — 9:15 a.m. ET, on NBCSN and NBCSports.com
Records — that’s all that’s left to play for. Having clinched the PL title weeks ago now, Man City’s attention is solely focused on setting the single-season PL points record, which currently stands at 95 (Chelsea, 2004-05). With four games left to play, they could also become the first PL side to crack the century mark: 102 with four wins; 100 with three wins and a draw. Pep Guardiola’s side is would tie the all-time record for away wins in a PL season (15, also by Chelsea in 2004-05) with a win at the London Stadium on Sunday, while moving to within a point of the 2004-05 Blues’ record of 48 away points (City have one more away game after Sunday).
West Ham, on the other hand, are still on high alert with regard to the relegation battle. As David Moyes’ side sits 15th in the table, just three points clear of 18th-place Southampton, there’s still a bit of work to be done over the Hammers’ final four games. It’s been a season full of swings for West Ham, who managed a six-game unbeaten run (two wins) from Boxing Day to the end of January, only to lose four of their last seven games as the end of the season rapidly approaches. Perhaps these sides’ first meeting this season, which saw West Ham play quite well but ended 2-1 in favor of City, will provide a bit of encouragement.
INJURIES: West Ham — OUT: Joe Hart (loan agreement), James Collins (hamstring), Sam Byram (ankle), Winston Reid (knee), Michail Antonio (hamstring), Pedro Obiang (knee) | Man City — OUT: Sergio Aguero (knee), John Stones (groin)
Man United vs. Arsenal — 11:30 a.m. ET, on NBCSN and NBCSports.com
With his side set to visit Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semifinals second leg on Thursday, Wenger might have been tempted to field and all-reserves and -youth squad for Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford, if only Man United were managed by anyone other than Mourinho, Wenger’s longtime nemesis and foil for the last 15 years of his legendary run in the PL. Still, with no chance of a top-four finish and winning the Europa League as their last remaining avenue into next season’s Champions League — and the precarious position in which they find themselves following last week’s first leg — Wenger could very well place all priority and focus on Thursday’s trip to the Spanish capital, even if it means taking a heavy defeat in his final trip to Old Trafford (as Arsenal manager).
As for Mourinho, he’s happy to let all those years of battles and dust-ups turn to water under the bridge.
“If he respects me even 50 percent of what I respect him we can even be friends in the future,” he said this week. “I have lots of respect for him. But the reality is that he was at Arsenal, he was the champion and I came to the country in 2004 and wanted to steal his title. That’s football. But in the end I respect him a lot, I tried to show that in the past couple of years there were no problems at a different stage in my career with a different profile.”
INJURIES: Man United — OUT: Sergio Romero (knee) | Arsenal — OUT: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (knee), Mohamed Elneny (ankle), Santi Cazorla (achilles)
Monday’s PL schedule
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Watford — 3 p.m. ET, on NBCSN and NBCSports.com
