Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho both made light of their spat on the sideline after the Arsenal manager pushed his Chelsea counterpart during Sunday’s London derby in the Premier League, AFP reports.
An angry Wenger gave Mourinho a push in the chest when the two fronted up to each other during the first half after Wenger ventured into the Chelsea technical area following a hard foul on his star player Alexis Sanchez.
The two managers have a history of trading verbal barbs, but this was the first time it turned physical during a game. Chelsea won 2-0 to consolidate its lead in the standings.
Wenger described the push as just “a little one” after the game and said “what is to regret after that?”
“I wanted to go from A to B and somebody confronted me in between without any sign of welcome,” Wenger said. “B was Sanchez, to see how badly he was injured.”
Mourinho said everyone should just “forget” the incident.
“It becomes heated because this is a big game, big clubs, big rivals, (an) important match for both teams. These conditions make a game of emotions,” Mourinho said. “To be fair, I do so many wrong things in football … but not this time, because this time I was just in my technical area and it was not my problem. Game over. Story over.”
Wenger could face disciplinary action from the English Football Association, and was prepared for criticism in the media.
“Look I trust you that you (journalists) will teach me the entire moral lessons over the next three weeks,” he said. “And I can accept that.”
Once upon a time, Arsenal played Chelsea and, more often than not, beat them. But that was before the Roman empire swept into Stamford Bridge and altered the Premier League landscape.
Instead of the fixture that Gunners fans looked forward to the most, it has become the match they must secretly dread.
It was another Bridge – Wayne – who landed the first blow on behalf of owner Roman Abramovich and announced the arrival of a new order when he grabbed an 87th minute winner to clinch a 3-2 aggregate Champions League win at Highbury in March 2004.
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Wayne Bridge scores against Arsenal for Chelsea at Highbury in the Champions League back in March 2004
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The arrival of Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich marked an end to Arsenal's victories over Chelsea
Mourinho: Specialist in failure comments were a consequence
Things have never been quite the same, since. And Bridge’s goal was the turning point.
Emirates supporters look away now, as a reminder of the good old days brings home how fortunes have changed in the Premier League era.
Post Roman, the teams have played 28 times. Arsenal have won just six matches in all competitions, drawn seven and lost 15.
Contrast and compare that with 1992-2003, before the Russian billionaire turned Chelsea from fancy dans to title winners.
The teams faced each other 22 times. Arsenal lost only three, won 12 and drew seven and were the undisputed kings of the capital.
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Arsenal players look dejected as Chelsea celebrate their 6-0 victory in March of this year
It all looked so rosy, in February 2004, when Arsene Wenger’s team knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup and then beat them 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in what was then known as the Premiership.
Prick Vieira and Edu cancelled out Eidur Gudjohnsen’s early strike while the Icelander was also sent off in the second half.
One month later the rivals met in the Champions League. The first leg was drawn 1-1 and Arsenal were over-riding favourites. Jose Reyes gave the Gunners the lead on half-time only for Frank Lampard to level the scores before Bridge had the final say.
Arsenal fans could argue that it was not in the Premier League, which is what really counts over a season.
The same could be applied to the Community Shield in 2005 when a Didier Drogba double ensured a 2-1 Chelsea win.
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Kieran Gibbs is mistakenly sent off following Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's handball on the goal-line
But later that August, Arsenal could no longer claim to be so superior as Drogba scored the only goal in a 1-0 Premier League home victory.
The return was in December the same year. Arjen Robben and Joe Cole both found the net at Highbury and Chelsea had done the double over their North London neighbours.
As far as the neutral is concerned, however, this is a match which tends to throw up lots of goals, plenty of controversy and the enduring feud between Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal fans will not need long memories to recall a rare fine moment – the 5-3 extravaganza in October 2011 when Robin van Persie scored twice in the last five minutes to complete his hat-trick after it looked as if Juan Mata had clinched a 3-3 draw.
Then again, they will not want reminding about what happened last season. Down to ten men (even if Kieran Gibbs was sent off instead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) and on the end of a 6-0 thrashing.
Will the tide turn again on Sunday? The bookies suggest not.
Arsene Wenger: Record against Jose Mourinho counts for nothing
