Jose Mourinho plays down touchline bust-up with Arsene Wenger

Jose Mourinho plays down touchline bust-up with Arsene Wenger

Published Oct. 5, 2014 12:43 p.m. ET

Jose Mourinho and Arsenge Wenger played down their touchline bust-up during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

The two managerial foes clashed in the first half after Wenger reacted angrily to Gary Cahill's dangerous tackle on Alexis Sanchez with the Frenchman shoving Mourinho in the chest.

Mourinho claims there was nothing major in the clash insisting he had no problems with Wenger pushing him.

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Asked about the Wenger incident, Mourinho told Sky Sports: "For me, it is over. But the technical area is very clear - I have mine, he has his and he cannot come to mine, especially to put pressure on the referee to give a red card to my player. So I just told him 'leave my technical area and don't come back please'."

Then asked if it was a big deal that Wenger had put his hands on him, Mourinho said: "No, it is no problem."

Wenger described the push as just ''a little one'' after the game and said ''what is to regret after that?''

Mourinho did feel Arsenal could have finished the game with eight men suggesting Laurent Koscielny, Calum Chambers and Danny Welbeck were all fortunate to escape red cards from referee Martin Atkinson.

"I think the referee, from a technical point of view, had a fantastic performance in a difficult, technical, fast match with lots of runs behind - also the linesmen had a difficult game and I think they did a fantastic job. But Arsenal could have finished with eight men, because it is a red card for Koscielny, it is a double yellow card for Chambers in the first half, and clear was a red card for Welbeck.

"But I accept that the Welbeck red card was not given - the game was over and Welbeck is a good kid and is not aggressive. It was just maybe a reaction, some frustration. So I have no complaint really but my boys are doing fantastic we beat a good Arsenal."

Mourinho was delighted with his side's victory as they moved five points clear at the top of the table thanks to Eden Hazard's penalty and Diego Costa's second half goal.

"It was a difficult game," noted Mourinho. "They started better than us, but Eden gave us the penalty and the first goal and the game could have finished there if it had been a red card. At the end of day they had more of the ball than us but we had the chances so we scored two goals, we won and I am happy we beat a good team."

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