The fractured relationship between Ronald Koeman and Louis van Gaal may have provided the prematch narrative ahead of the Premier League game between Southampton and Manchester United on Monday, but the bigger picture will be more significant when the former friends shake hands on the St Mary's touchline.
Koeman cut his coaching teeth under Van Gaal's watch at Barcelona, but the duo became sworn enemies during the former's time as Ajax boss, when he believed he was undermined by the latter in his role as sporting director with the Amsterdam club.
Koeman's press briefing ahead of his reunion with Van Gaal was dominated by questions about his former friend, with the ice-cool Dutchman fending off what had the potential to be inflammatory prompts with the kind of philosophical professionalism that has been his trademark during a wonderful first few months as a Premier League manager.
A hugely successful player who famously scored the winning goal in Barcelona's 1992 European Cup triumph at Wembley, Koeman's success in turning around a club that appeared to be on the brink of meltdown over the summer is already one of the finest achievements of his decorated career, yet he will not be satisfied with a good start in his latest posting.
A home defeat against Manchester City and a 1-0 loss against Arsenal on Wednesday may have put a dent in Southampton's forward momentum, but the Saints' fairy tale should still be viewed as an enchanting sideshow of a campaign that many expected would see the feel-good story of last season's Premier League slip into the abyss.
On reflection, we should have realised that a fresh revolution was brewing at Southampton when Koeman swept through the gates of the club's Staplewood training ground as the club's new manager in July.
With a sparkling playing career on his record, his achievements as a manager were equally notable. Winning the Dutch title with Ajax and PSV were fine efforts, while the Copa del Rey success with Valencia in 2008 confirmed he could transport his winning mentality to foreign shores.
At a time when most observers were suggesting the Saints' march to the top of the English game had come to a natural end as the likes of Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers joined manager Mauricio Pochettino in jumping clear of their apparently sinking ship, Koeman's arrival was a game-changer, and he insists he never had any doubts about taking over at Southampton.
"I was confident about the structure of club when I agreed to come here, and I didn't see it as being a situation where I had no chance to succeed because important players were leaving," says the former Barcelona and Netherlands defensive maestro, who turned down the chance to become assistant coach to Guus Hiddink with the Dutch national team.
"Believe me, I would not be here if I did not think I could achieve something, and while we have exceeded our own expectations, this team now have to think of itself as one of the top sides and I believe we will prove that in the next few weeks."
Club captain Kelvin Davis offered an insight into the way Koeman has cajoled Southampton into a prominent position at the top of the Premier League, as he suggested his personality is perfectly suited to the challenges Southampton faced in the summer.
"The manager did not need to come here because he needed a job, and the fact that he is such a massive name in the world of football means people took a step back and started to reassess what the future held for Southampton when he agreed to take over," Davis told ESPN.
"It had reached a point where we needed someone to come in and calm it all down, and when you see the manner and demeanor of the manager, it didn't take us long to appreciate he was the ideal candidate for that role. He was relaxed about the situation of the players leaving, he spoke confidently about getting people in, and in an instant, the mood changed from one of negativity to one of possibility."
Koeman gives off a vibe that suggests his placid temper cannot be shattered, but goalkeeper Fraser Forster told ESPN that his boss has a way of getting his message across without resorting to raising his voice.
"The boss is a fantastic man manager from what I can see, and that quality has impressed everyone at Southampton," says Forster, who was signed from Celtic in a 10 million pound deal in August and has made a hugely positive impression between the sticks. "He likes to listen to players and get their opinions on what we can do better. He wants you to feel involved in the process, and the end result is a togetherness that has taken us a long way this season. We all feel as if we are in this Southampton story together, and the manager can take much of the credit for that with the approach he has brought to the job.
"He can also get his point across when needed, and while he might not be a shouter and screamer, he is a man who has gets his points across in a subtle, clever way. When he speaks, you listen."
Full-back Ryan Bertrand -- on a season-long loan at the club from Chelsea -- offers another glowing assessment of the Koeman way, as he told ESPN that the dialogue he promotes between players has been a breath of fresh air compared to his other experiences.
"There was a lot of negativity around Southampton when I got the chance to come here, but the manager was upbeat from day one and that was massive for me," said Bertrand, who is pushing for an England call-up after a fine start to his Saints career.
"It's not that the manager is a guy who sits back and lets the players get on with it. Not at all. What he does is allow us to have a voice in the dressing room, but he is not scared to tell us if we have fallen below the standards he expects."
It was Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers who rather arrogantly suggested he "had no sympathy" for Koeman and Southampton as he was first in the queue to pluck away some of their best players in the summer, but it turns out their best signing had already been made by the time those marquee names took their leave.
Koeman has been the star of Southampton's magnificent start to the season. The twist in this tale could come if the Liverpool boss in unseated any time soon, as this smooth Dutchman may be among those highlighted as a possible replacement.
Rodgers would be the one looking for sympathy then.