It’s not as big as it used to be, but the Arsenal-Manchester United rivalry is still an important one.

Arsene Wenger knows a thing or two about the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United.

He played a big role in creating one of the fiercest rivalries of the Premier League during the late 90s and early 2000s.

These days, the rivalry is lacking the edge it used to carry, but is still one of the biggest games on the calendar for either side.

Wenger has admitted that games between the two sides are no longer “finals”, but feels the rivalry is a very important one for the Premier League.

“We are early in the season and during some seasons when I was here it was the final of the championship but that is not the case any more,” Wenger said, as reported by the Daily Mail.

“We have six or seven teams that fight at the top, but it is still a very big game and a very important one.

“It (the history of the fixture) plays a little part because it is two big clubs and that always creates a big game and players know that a lot will be said before and after the game. Of course it has an influence.”

Arsenal have gotten the better of United in their last two encounters at the Emirates Stadium.

Their most recent game was a 2-0 win last May.

Granit Xhaka and Danny Welbeck scored goals to put away a much-changed United side.

Saturday’s meeting has the added spice of Arsene Wenger vs Jose Mourinho.

Wenger has defeated Mourinho just once in competitive games, and will be looking to improve on that record.

He has a good chance of doing so, as Mourinho has won none of his last 10 away games to the top six sides in the Premier League.