Arsene Wenger and Guus Hiddink: Old foes meet on Super Sunday

By James Kilpatrick and Lewis Jones

Image: Wenger v Hiddink: who will come out on top on Sunday?

On Sunday, two of the most experience managers in world football - Arsene Wenger and Guus Hiddink - will go head-to-head for the seventh time.

At a combined age of 135 years and with 2,330 games as manager under their belts, the wealth of know-how in the dugouts at the Emirates on Sunday adds an extra edge to an intriguing clash live on Sky Sports.

The bragging rights in terms of Premier League encounters fall to the Chelsea man, who leads 2-0 - one of the victories, arguably, paved the way for Hiddink's finest moment in English football, lifting the FA Cup trophy in 2009. 

However, when the pair met with Hiddink ruling the roost at PSV, Wenger was unbeaten in four Champions League meetings. 

Here's the tale of those six previous matches against each other…

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Premier League - May 2009 - Arsenal 1-4 Chelsea

In the final game of the 2008/2009 season, Chelsea, with Hiddink in temporary charge, secured a top three Premier League finish and guaranteed a spot in the Champions League group stages with a comprehensive win at Arsenal.

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Alex headed Chelsea in front and Nicolas Anelka smashed in a strike from 25-yards to double Chelsea's lead. Arsenal's Kolo Toure put Ashley Cole's cross into his own net before a Nicklas Bendtner header pulled it back to 3-1.

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The Gunners rallied but Chelsea wrapped up the win when Florent Malouda slotted in after Anelka's shot hit the post.

FA Cup semi-final - April 2009 - Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

Didier Drogba's 84th-minute winner put Chelsea in the FA Cup final, which they went on to win, giving Hiddink his first and only major honour in English football. 

Drogba struck at the end of a semi-final full of individual errors when he beat Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to Frank Lampard's long ball and calmly finished. Arsenal took the early lead through a deflected shot from Theo Walcott but struggled to contend with Chelsea from that moment.

Malouda levelled before half-time and, despite Arsenal's improved display in the second half, Chelsea ended deserved winners and went on to win the FA Cup final 2-1 against Everton.

He is a remarkable manager and a remarkable coach.
Wenger on Hiddink

Champions League - November 2004 - PSV 1-1 Arsenal

Lauren and Patrick Vieira were both sent off as nine-man Arsenal held out for a crucial Champions League draw against PSV Eindhoven.

The pair were dismissed for two bookable offences in the second half, but a point kept Arsenal's hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive. Andre Ooijer headed PSV in front early on from Marc Van Bommel's corner.

I think Arsenal are a good model. To have stability, you must go for a longer period. Then you can make your aims on the very short-term – daily or weekly – but you can also plan in advance what you can win in two or three years.
Hiddink on Arsenal

But Thierry Henry's leveller after 30 minutes meant Arsenal would qualify if they beat Rosenborg in the last game, which they won 5-1.

Champions League - September 2004 - Arsenal 1-0 PSV 

Arsenal began their 2004/2005 Champions League campaign with a win thanks to an own goal by PSV Eindhoven's Alex.

The Brazilian defender turned the ball into his own net after a brilliant surging run and cut-back by Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on 41 minutes.

Champions League - November 2002 - Arsenal 0-0 PSV

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Arsenal and PSV contested a dour goalless draw at Highbury - enough to ensure the Gunners finished top of Champions League Group A. Auxerre's shock win against Borussia Dortmund not only handed Arsenal top spot but meant PSV finished bottom and missed out on a UEFA Cup place.

Champions League - September 2002 - PSV 0-4 Arsenal

Gilberto Silva scored after only 21 seconds as Arsenal beat PSV with a dominant attacking display. Thierry Henry netted twice late in the game and Freddie Ljungberg also got on the scoresheet as the Gunners registered a rare away win in the Champions League.

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