Mourinho versus Wenger
The two managers clashed on the sidelines after Gary Cahill
was booked for a foul on Alexis Sanchez, with referee Martin
Atkinson warning they could both be sent to the stands
Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have been involved in a
touchline fracas during the match between Chelsea and
Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The two men clashed after Blues defender Gary Cahill was
booked for a strong challenge on Alexis Sanchez, with
Wenger shoving Mourinho after the Portuguese stepped
out of his technical area to complain about the sanction.
An unbalanced Mourinho responded by grasping at his
opposite number, and the quarrel continued with a
slanging match.
Referee Martin Atkinson was forced to intervene and
warned both managers that they would be sent to the
stands if there was a repeat of the early flash-point.
Towards half-time, Rui Faria and Steve Bould, assistants
at Chelsea and Arsenal respectively, were also involved in
an exchange of words as the row continued between both
benches.
Mourinho and Wenger have enjoyed a long, sometimes
bitter rivalry over the last 10 years.
Last season, Mourinho called his opposite number a
"specialist in failure", and in his first spell as Blues boss he
claimed the Frenchman was a "voyeur".
An eventful opening period at Stamford Bridge also saw
Thibaut Courtois taken off with a head injury following a clash
with Alexis, with Petr Cech coming off the bench to replace
the Belgian.
Kick-off had already been delayed by 15 minutes after it was
claimed security staff needed extra time to remove flares
brought to the stadium by Arsenal fans.
