O'Neill's first confrontation with Wenger in the Premier League ended in a bitter 3-1 defeat for the Frenchman. As the final whistle blew, jubilant chants and cheers echoed through Maine Road.
Then O'Neill strode toward Wenger for a handshake. The exchange was curt, professional—no smiles, no lingering pleasantries. Wenger simply nodded, shook hands, and turned to walk down the tunnel, leaving O'Neill and Mourinho to exchange brief handshakes with their departing players.
If Richard had been present, he might have understood Wenger's struggles in the Premier League. Perhaps Wenger was simply too principled—he never gloat after a victory, and a defeat weighed on him deeply. Social games of pleasantries were beneath him.
Meanwhile, Manchester City fans erupted in celebration of their team's victory. But Miss Heysen and Marina Granovskaia, seated in the directors' box, were seething.
How dare they?!