Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has apologised a week after the most talked about incident in last weekend’s fixture between Chelsea and Arsenal. Wenger, who stepped outside his technical area and shoved Wenger also revealed that Mourinho was the one to provoke him in the first place, “I regret every sign of violence and I apologise, but that’s a part of games where everything is manic. Wenger also revealed that he felt Jose provoked him.
“It’s not a way to behave on a football field and I shouldn’t have reacted like that.
“We have quite a substantial past. Did Mourinho provoke me? That is how I felt. But I did not enter his technical area,” he told French TV show Telefoot. The two got into a scuffle after a rash tackle by Gary Cahill on Alexis Sanchez in the 20th minute.
Chelsea ran out 2-0 winners against Wenger’s side with former Gunner Cesc Fabregas having an outstanding game. His brilliant assist in the 78th minute sealed the win after a toothless performance by Arsenal. The victory also ensured the unbeaten run of Mourinho’s Chelsea against Wenger’s Arsenal.
The relationship between Wenger and Mourinho has always been strained but it went to a whole new level last season when the Portuguese called Wenger a ‘specialist in failure’. Mourinho was referring to the Frenchman’s success rate in terms of trophies which had nullified since 2005. However, Arsenal went on to win the FA Cup last season and lifted the Community Shield in August by beating Manchester City.
The defeat to Chelsea left Arsenal 9 points behind the leaders who have started the campaign brilliantly. Arsenal on the other hand have disappointed since the start of the season, and with injuries to key players, the games in coming months will become even harder. They face Hull City at home in their next game, a rematch of last season’s FA cup final while Chelsea travel to Crystal Palace.