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Saturday, 21 December 2013

Mourinho Dismisses Rivalry Rumours With Arsenal Boss

The two managers go head to head on Monday (©GettyImages)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has laughed off suggestions that there is an element of tension between him and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger ahead of their clash on Monday.
Arsenal have the chance to be top of the Premier League at Christmas with victory over the Blues at the Emirates Stadium.
A victory for Chelsea meanwhile would put the cat amongst the pigeons at the top of the table, with Liverpool winning earlier today.
Mourinho has a clear edge over Wenger's Arsenal side having never tasted defeat when his Chelsea side have played against them.
The pair also clashed during Mourinho's first spell in charge of Chelsea, when the 'Special One' branded the Arsenal boss a 'voyeur'.
However Mourinho has moved to dismiss the tension in the build-up to the game, and says there isn't an issue between the two managers.
It's not me against Wenger," he told reporters.
"It's my Chelsea against his Arsenal. And that (the record) doesn't play Monday. It has no influence. That stat, for the game of Monday, means nothing.
"I just feel that we played better, we deserved more and we won these matches.
"In my time I remember just one game where we were close to losing, which was a game at home where (Michael) Essien scored the equalising goal in the last part of the game (in the December 2006 Premier League draw).
"After that, even at the Emirates, playing with 10 men for 75 minutes we played a fantastic match and we drew 1-1 (in May 2007).
"My memories are that, against them, we played very good matches. As a consequence of that, we got good results."
Chelsea have already beaten Arsenal in the Capital One cup this season, but Mourinho insists that result will have little bearing on Monday's encounter.
"Different competitions, different motivations, different responsibilities, different players in some cases," he said.
"Still Arsenal, still Chelsea, still a London derby, plus the fact that the first is playing the third, or the second, whatever you prefer.
"(It is a) big match for sure,  I'm waiting for the game and I'm ready to play the game and I want very much to play the game."

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