Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp will have their last dance in the Premier League on Sunday as Manchester City visit Liverpool in a top-of-the-table clash at Anfield.

It brings to an end an 11-year rivalry which began in Germany and will culminate in what could turn out to be a Premier League title decider.

Sunday will make the latest installment in the rivalry which has heightened between the two clubs, who have been going head-to-head for major honours since Guardiola and Klopp’s arrival.

Ahead of their final encounter in the top flight, Mail Sport ranks where the Guardiola and Klopp rivalry ranks in Premier League history. 

Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will meet for the final time before the former leaves Liverpool

6. Conte vs Mourinho

Things started to turn sour between the two on Mourinho’s return to Stamford Bridge as manager of Manchester United in October 2016.

Conte’s Chelsea vanquished Mourinho’s United 4-0 and the Portuguese manager took a dig at his opponent’s touchline antics, claiming the Italian had ‘humiliated’ him.

‘You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0,’ he said. ‘You can do it at 1-0. Otherwise it’s humiliating for us.’

Six months later Conte took a swipe at United’s spending. The previous summer saw Paul Pogba move to Old Trafford for a record £89M fee.

The Italian said: ‘I think this season it’s very important to understand that it’s not always who spends more money wins.

In 2018 Mourinho called him a ‘clown’ on the touchline and referenced his suspension for failing to report alleged match-fixing when in Italy.

The then-Chelsea manager riposted by calling his counterpart a ‘little man’.

Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte had a short but bitter rivalry at Man United and Chelsea

5. Benitez vs Ferguson

In a explosive press conference in 2009, Benitez, reading from a sheet of paper, listed a series of ‘facts’, accusing Ferguson of manipulating referees in his favour.

‘He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things,’ Benitez said. ‘All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees – and nothing happens.’

The Scotsman denied these claims, calling them ‘absolutely ridiculous’.

Four months later the Spaniard refused an invitation to congratulate Ferguson on winning the league.

In November 2012, the United manager said Benitez was ‘lucky’ to get the Chelsea job.

The pair did not shake hands in May 2013.

Rafa Benitez famously accused Ferguson of manipulating referees in his famous ‘facts’ rant

4. Mourinho vs Benitez

The pair touched down in England in 2004 and took the respective Chelsea and Liverpool jobs within 12 days of each other.

Mourinho’s Chelsea won the first three encounters against Liverpool – including a Carling Cup final – before the controversial Champions League semi-final second leg in 2005.

After the first leg ended in a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, Luis Garcia’s ‘ghost goal’ sent Liverpool to the final, the Reds winning 1-0 at Anfield.

But the Chelsea manager was adamant the ball didn’t cross the line.

‘You can say the linesman scored,’ Mourinho said. ‘It was a goal coming from the moon or from the Anfield stands. The best team lost and didn’t deserve to lose.’

The two also refused to shake hands following Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final win in 2006 and the Community Shield. Benitez also took a swipe at Mourinho labelling himself the ‘special one’ and criticised his negative style of play.

Mourinho and Benitez had a frosty relationship amid a series of high-profile matches

3. Klopp vs Guardiola

The pair have faced each other more than they’ve faced any other opponent across their careers – 29 times. 

Klopp’s 11 wins is the most by any manager against Guardiola, while the Spaniard’s 10 victories is the most by any manager against the German.

Since 2018 they are the only two sides to have won the league in England, with their battles often decided by fine margins.

City have twice edged out Liverpool by a single point to claim the Premier League title on the final day of the season.

‘Klopp is the best rival I ever had in my life,’ Guardiola said on the news of Klopp’s departure, adding he will now ‘sleep better’.

Klopp and Guardiola have had mutual respect during their teams battled for silverware

2. Mourinho vs Wenger

At a time when the Premier League seemed to be a battle between two of the most iconic football minds of the recent era, some fans might have been crying out for a breath of fresh air to liven things up. 

Enter Jose Mourinho. The Special One arrived just after stunning the world with Porto and lit the Premier League on fire. 

In six meetings with Wenger in his first three years in the top-flight Mourinho went unbeaten against the Frenchman, the Arsenal icon unable to find a way past his newest and fiercest rival. 

It was a tense relationship, and both Wenger and Mourinho made barbs at one another in the press, while the duo were involved in numerous touchline spats after Mourinho took the reins at Stamford Bridge. 

‘My rivalry was more with the clubs than the persons, I never made any statements on a personal level,’ Wenger told Sky Sports via Football Daily.

‘I had a lot of aggravations with [José] Mourinho at the time because I felt that Chelsea were the first club that came in and spent money they didn’t earn.’

Arsene Wenger pushed Jose Mourinho during a Chelsea v Arsenal match back in 2014

While pantomime in nature at times, the two came about as close to blows as two middle-aged – at best – men in suits can get. In 2014, after Mourinho dubbed his rival ‘a specialist in failure’, the two became heated and the Chelsea boss pushed Wenger. 

The Arsenal boss responded by flicking his tie. Hefty blow. In 19 meetings in all competitions, Mourinho only lost twice to Wenger. Talk about having your opponent’s number.

1. Ferguson vs Wenger

Klopp and Guardiola have never hidden their admiration for one another. Their relationship involves more praise and respect than hatred. The same can’t be said about Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

Ferguson and Wenger, the two greatest managers in each club’s history, fought a bitter 17-year feud as Manchester United and Arsenal ruled the country from 1996 to 2004. They were the only two teams to win the league over those eight years.

‘It became toxic for a while,’ Ferguson said after he retired.

Tensions boiled over when United controversially defeated the north London side 2-0 at Old Trafford, ending their record-breaking 49-match unbeaten run. It spilled over into the tunnel and Ferguson received a slice of pizza to the face, courtesy of Cesc Fabregas.

Over the 17 years, the Scotsman claimed 23 wins to the Frenchman’s 16.

Sir Alex Ferguson admitted his relationship with Arsene Wenger was toxic for a while before thawing