Mourinho takes another swipe at Wenger ahead of the big match

Mourinho was infuriated by Wenger's remark that it is "easy to defend" as two very different footballing philosophies collide on Sunday.

Chelsea boss Mourinho, who has never lost to Wenger in 12 meetings, could not resist biting back with a dig over Arsenal’s Champions League exit to Monaco.

“It’s not easy, not easy. If it was easy, you wouldn’t lose 3-1 at home to Monaco,” said Mourinho. “If he defends well he draws 0-0 against Monaco and wins in Monte Carlo. It’s not easy to defend.”

There is no love lost between Mourinho and Wenger as Chelsea’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday is as much about a clash of managerial personalities as it is a London derby.

It is not just Wenger’s appalling record on the pitch against Mourinho. But also Mourinho’s incredible hold over Wenger after branding him a “specialist in failure” last season. That only reopened wounds from ten years ago when Mourinho called Wenger a “voyeur.”

Such was Wenger’s anger at Mourinho when they met at Stamford Bridge this season that the normally mild mannered Frenchman snapped and pushed his managerial rival on the touchline.

Mourinho will forever be known as a conservative and cautious manager while Wenger has long been regarded as being a purveyor of pure football even if it has not delivered as many trophies in recent years.

Gunners boss Wenger could barely hide his contempt this week when he said, albeit with a smile, he expects their latest encounter to be a “1-0 - the usual.”

Mourinho, however, insists his team deserves more respect as, despite recent stutters, he says they have been the best team in the Premier League this season and will be worthy champions.

Chelsea managed just one shot on target against QPR two weeks ago, Manchester United dominated possession at Stamford Bridge last Saturday and Mourinho’s men appear to be running out of gas.

But Mourinho said: “If we win the title this season, I don’t care where and how. I just want to be champions. It matters what I feel, not what people feel, think or say.

“We are the best team since day one, and we want to be the best team until the last day.

“We are top of the league since day one. We are the second team in terms of goals scored. We are the second best team for goals conceded. The team with fewest defeats.