Since announcing his plans to retire at the end of this season, The Arsene Wenger Farewell Tour is in full swing.
The ‘Wenger Out’ banners have been lowered. The sky writing planes have been put back in the garage. And ex-managers who once traded barbs with the Frenchmen over the press conference table have pivoted to a tone of respect for the last-standing long term manager of English football.
For Wenger himself, it must be strangely akin to watching your own funeral – an impression that went up a gear as he travelled to Old Trafford for (probably) the last time as an opposing manager this weekend.
Sure – he lost again, meaning it’s still a big fat 0 points acquired away from home in 2018. Sure – it happened in the most inglorious of ways, with a blind, hopeful Fellani header looping into the net in extra time.
But at least Wenger got a nice present from Sir Alex Ferguson - the man he jousted with at the summit of the league before being eclipsed for a decade – in the form of a plaque.
It read:
"Presented to Arsène Wenger, by Sir Alex Ferguson CBE and José Mourinho on behalf of Manchester United Football Club, in recognition of his services and achievements to Arsenal Football Club, 1996-2018."
No doubt Wenger would have preferred to leave Manchester with 3 points – or even 1 – but hey, there’s still that chance of winning the Europe League.
Aaron Ramsey, Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Özel were all rested, meaning he can field a full-strength team in the second semi-final leg against Atletico Madrid this week. There may be time to bow out with more than just plaques and platitudes after all.
