Since the inception of the English Premier League there have been numerous occasions where the top coaches have engaged themselves in the mind game battle during the season. Over the last 20 years former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has proven himself to be a master of it and while many others have tried but only few have succeeded against him.
But with Fergie gone and another master of the mind games in Jose Mourinho back in the EPL, this season could be one of the most entertaining ones. The biggest question on the minds of fans across the world is: How much does it really matter?
IBNLive looks at the previous occasions where mind games decided the league title.
1. Kevin Keegan is remembered by many as the man who famously lost it in a rant against Ferguson in the 1996 Premier League title race. Newcastle sat on top for much of the season, holding a 12-point lead up until February ahead of Manchester United. But then started Ferguson's mind games.
"I can't understand the Leeds players. I'm absolutely in support of their manager (Howard Wilkinson). He doesn't deserve his players. If they had played like that all season they'd be near the top. They raised their game because they were playing Manchester United. It was pathetic. I think we can accept any club coming here and trying their hardest, so long as they do it every week."
These comments sparked Kevin Keegan's infamous "I'd LOVE it!" rant on Sky Sports in 1996 and eventually pressure got to him and his team and they lost the title to United.
2. In 2002, with Manchester United trailing Arsenal by five points, their manager tried to unsettle Arsenal by saying United have played the best football of the season. Wenger responded by saying: "Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home." Arsenal won both their remaining games and won the title.
3. In 2005, Wenger and Mourinho were involved in mind games. "He's out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful. When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent." Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho labeled Wenger a voyeur in 2005, feeling that he was talking a little too much about the Blues' affairs. The Frenchman hit back with a style but at the end of the day Chelsea went on to win the EPL and Arsenal finished fourth.
4. In January 2009, Liverpool were leading the table from United when their boss, Rafa Benitez, famously used a press conference to read from a prepared list of so-called 'facts' about Ferguson's bullying of officials, after Ferguson had questioned Liverpool's mental strength. Surely the pressure showed on Benitez's face and distracted by the fuss, Liverpool's form immediately dipped. United eventually went on to win another league title.
5. In the 2011-12 campaign, Manchester City started it when Patrick Vieira, claimed United were desperate for bringing Paul Scholes out of retirement. With City posing the biggest threat to United's quest for the title, Ferguson did not take Vieira's comment lightly.
Ferguson responded by referring to Roberto Mancini's U-turn after publicly stating that he would never allow Tevez to play for Manchester City again. Although new to managing in the Premier League, Mancini played it smartly and it saw United losing the league title on goal difference to them, despite being eight points clear with just six matches to go.
Now with a new season about to begin and likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United all having appointed new managers, will we see new rivalries in the EPL?
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