Ryan Giggs has revealed the intensity of Manchester United's rivalry with Arsenal led to him irrationally detesting several players from their arch nemesis.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger went head-to-head for the biggest honours in the game during a memorable managerial duel following the Frenchman's arrival in England in October 1996.
But in the 1998-99 campaign United claimed a Premier League FA Cup double, before adding the Champions League after a dramatic win over Bayern Munichat Camp Nou.
The normally calm and considered Giggs admits he had to adopt an entirely different persona when faced with Wenger's side and had a particular hatred for four opposition players - including some members of The Invincibles squad.
"I didn’t like Arsenal," Giggs told the Daily Mail. "I didn’t like Vieira ’cos he was dirty and got away with murder. I didn’t like Petit because he had long hair. I didn’t like Bergkamp.
"I didn’t like Pires even though when you meet him now he’s actually dead nice. I wouldn’t even look at them, didn’t know them and didn’t want to. I wouldn’t allow myself to rate any of them.
"Bergkamp? Nah, I told myself he wasn’t as good as Eric Cantona. I wasn’t really that kind of person."
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