Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants to end 12-year war with Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho ahead of crunch clash at the Emirates

ARSENE WENGER is ready to end his 12-year war with Jose Mourinho as football’s deadliest foes prepare to square up again on Sunday.

The Arsenal boss has never beaten Mourinho in a competitive game stretching back over 15 previous encounters.

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And the only time Wenger did get the better of his nemesis, in the 2015 Community Shield, the fuming Frenchman pointedly refused to shake his rival’s hand.

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The feud has been simmering ever since Mourinho described Wenger as “a voyeur” in 2005 and reached a new low three years ago with the former Chelsea manager’s “specialist in failure” jibe.

Mourinho even threatened to “break his face” after Wenger had questioned Chelsea’s sale of Juan Mata to United — and it is clear that the bitter managerial rivals will never be friends.

But Wenger is ready to hold out an olive branch ahead of Manchester United’s visit to the Emirates this weekend and insisted: “I am always open for peace and I think I try to respect everybody.

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“I don’t want to make a special case of any person but when you are a competitor it is important to give absolutely everything to win the next game and forget all the rest.”

Mourinho has threatened to field a weakened team on Sunday because his star players will be too jaded after last night’s Europa League semi-final clash with Celta Vigo.

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But, surprisingly, he does not get much sympathy from Wenger, who said: “Manchester United have a massive squad with quality players. No matter who plays, they will have a strong team out.

“Every Premier League club is now equipped to deal with injuries. There are top players on the bench at every single club.

“A hectic schedule at this stage of the season is normally what you want because it shows that you are still involved in the competitions, so I am not going to speculate on any weakness of Manchester United.”

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A fixture which used to decide the destiny of the title race has been reduced to a squabble this season, with Arsenal five points behind fifth-placed United with one game in hand.

Wenger knows a win might still not be enough to help his men into the Champions League.

He admitted: “This season just shows that everybody has moved up and there are more clubs that can fight at the top.

“It’s not in our hands now, so we have no choice — we have to beat United.”