Arsene Wenger pointedly re-iterated that there is a duty to entertain in football, as he prepares to battle his old defensive enemy Jose Mourinho again on Saturday. After years of unpleasantness between the two men, Wenger avoided direct criticism of the Manchester United manager this week.

But he did say that the popularity and reputation of English football demanded an “interesting game” at Old Trafford.

While Arsenal manager Wenger did not directly engage in the Mourinho topic, he did lay down a challenge to his counterpart, one that the United manager has not always met. He said that given European competition, the future health of English football needed both teams to rise to the occasion.

“Today, the audience is demanding,” Wenger said. “Sky pays a lot of money for football. But it is not the controversy before the game that can attract [people], that is not what creates the audience. The audience is for the quality of the game. Today, the audience tests the game, if the quality is not good, not whether Manchester United or Arsenal win. Afterwards you can contrast the styles, but the game has to be interesting, and it can be with differences in style.”

Last month Manchester United went to Anfield for one of the most highly-anticipated games of the season but produced a poor 0-0. “We have seen a few games since the start of the season that did not respond completely to the expectation level between two big teams,” said Wenger. “I think it is important that it is a top-level game, because it will be watched all over the world. For the reputation of the Premier League, it is important the game is good.”

Later on Saturday, Borussia Dortmund play Bayern Munich, and then Atletico Madrid play Real Madrid. Wenger said that the global fan has access to so much football that the Premier League must be entertaining or it will lose viewers.

Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Show all 11 1 /11 Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Arsène Wenger, February 2005 After being probed about the number of foreign players in his Arsenal side, Wenger flipped the question onto Chelsea's lack of homegrown talent. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, October 2005 Mourinho did not initially bite back, but after Wenger criticised his team further, he infamously labelled the Frenchman a 'voyeur'. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Arsène Wenger, November 2005 Wenger did not react well and accused Mourinho of being "disconnected with reality and disrespectful". Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, April 2008 Their rivalry calmed after Mourinho's exit from Chelsea in 2007, but the Portuguese could not help but prod Wenger again during his time at Internazionale. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Arsène Wenger, April 2013 After Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso appeared to purposely earn yellow cards in a Champions League tie for Mourinho's Real Madrid side, Wenger admonised their actions in the press. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, April 2013 Wenger's comments provoked a spiky reaction from Mourinho, who attacked his rival's reputation as a manager who develops young talent. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Arsène Wenger, January 2014 Mourinho, back at Chelsea, sold Juan Mata to Manchester United shortly after the two sides had played their final league fixture against each other for the season. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, January 2014 Wenger's reaction did not surprise Mourinho, who cried foul himself with a complaint about Arsenal's fixture list. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, February 2014 After Wenger suggested his rival may suffer from a 'fear of failure', Mourinho infamously retorted by calling Wenger a 'specialist in failure'. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Arsène Wenger, October 2014 The pair finally came to physical blows on the touchline during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge in October 2014. Mourinho and Wenger's rivalry: in quotes Jose Mourinho, October 2015 A year later, with his title-winning side falling apart at the seams, Mourinho claimed that Wenger was the only manager in the league who could criticise referees and get away with it.

“Something that has changed in the last five years is that the audience test the game and the quality of what they see,” Wenger explained. “If it is not good then they go somewhere else because they have five games a day. Even if it is Manchester United vs Arsenal, if the game is not good after 20 minutes they move somewhere else, that is what has changed in the modern game.”

Manchester United v Arsenal in numbers

Wenger was otherwise as respectful as possible of Mourinho, saying that he will shake his hand on Saturday, but that he has never been distracted by Mourinho’s repeated personal criticism of him.

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