Tuesday 13 October 2015 09:42, UK
Sunderland's trip to Arsenal on December 5 looks like being a lively encounter after The Sun published its latest extract from Sam Allardyce's autobiography.
Allardyce, who was appointed Sunderland manager last week, has described how he enjoyed beating Arsene Wenger's Arsenal more than anyone else when he was in charge at Bolton from 1999 to 2007.
He writes in 'Big Sam, The Autobiography': "We'd really got to them and Arsene Wenger hated us.
"Of course, Arsenal beat us sometimes, but we drew with them or beat them more often than expected and Wenger couldn't handle it.
"There was one time he wouldn't shake hands with me at Highbury because we got a draw. I saw him ripping his tie off and throwing it on the floor in anger.
"He takes it all very personally and has an air or arrogance. He's not one for inviting you into his office for a drink after games.
"He's a fantastic manager, I cannot deny that. But the more I could wind him up, the more I liked it."
Sunderland do not face Manchester United again until February 13 at the Stadium of Light and Allardyce will also be relishing another encounter with Louis van Gaal following a 1-1 draw with United last year when he was in charge at West Ham.
He added: "When Manchester United scored a last-minute equaliser at Upton Park last season, they got away with it and everyone knew it.
"I said that when people claim I'm a long-ball man, they should remember what Van Gaal had done to us.
"Their equaliser came 'from a long punt up the middle', I said, and I obviously got under Louis' skin because a few days later he want off on a right rant, handing reporters a four-page dossier to refute my claims.
"Here was yet another big-name manager who couldn't take it when I got a result against them.
"Just as with Wenger and Mourinho, a long ball by Van Gaal's team was a clever switch in tactics. But when I did it I was destroying the game. It was laughable."
