Jose Mourinho taunts Arsene Wenger ahead of crucial Premier League showdown

JOSE MOURINHO has taunted Arsene Wenger saying: "If it is so easy to defend, why did you blow it in the Champions League?"

Mourinho WengerGETTY

Jose Mourinho has begun the mind games ahead of Chelsea's clash with Arsenal

Arsenal and Chelsea meet tomorrow at the Emirates Stadium and, if they win, Mourinho's team will clinch the Premier League title with victory over Leicester on Wednesday.

Wenger has never beaten Mourinho in 12 meetings as a manager but Chelsea have been grinding out results recently with a string of pragmatic, almost defensive performances, especially in the 1-0 win over Manchester United last week.

Wenger said this week that it is easy to set up a team to defend but Mourinho, who has had a series of abrasive run-ins over the years with his French rival, hit back: "It's not easy. If it was easy, you wouldn't lose 3-1 at home to Monaco.

"If Wenger defends well he draws 0-0 against Monaco and wins in Monte Carlo. It's not easy."

Arsenal went out of the Champions League at the last 16 stage - the same stage ironically as Chelsea - on away goals after losing disastrously 3-1 at home to Monaco - only to go to Monte Carlo and win 2-0.

Mourinho says he has been forced to play a more pragmatic brand of football lately because of injuries and suspensions but that his team have still been the best in the Premier League this season and will deserve the title if they win it.

The Chelsea manager, whose team have notched six points in their last two games after registering only three shots on target, said: "When you are in the sea and have no boat, you need something to survive on. Like a raft. In football, that raft is team spirit, ethics, strategy.

"We had to adapt because of injuries and suspensions. We lost the balance of our team. When you lose crucial pieces, the team loses certain qualities. It was a consequence of things.

Arsenal v Chelsea - Premier League Preview

I don't want to start next season the way we are playing now. I hope to start the way we started this one

Jose Mourinho

"I don't want to start next season the way we are playing now. I hope to start the way we started this one. That is the way we want to play, the way we try to play, the way we enjoy playing. But it's very enjoyable to deal with a difficult moment too."

Chelsea have yet to concede a goal against Arsenal in four meetings since Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge at the start of last season. But Mourinho said: "If we can be champions it's a great achievement but we are not there yet. In the last few years, Chelsea were not even close to winning the title. With Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien all that generation finished - if we can be champions with young and new people, that would be great.

"We have been top of the league since day one. We are the second best in terms of goals scored. The second best team for goals conceded. The team with fewest defeats. We have scored some of the best team goals of the season.

"Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City can still be champions mathematically. But we have been the best team since day one and we want to be the best team until the last day."

Chelsea will have Didier Drogba fit again after an ankle injury disrupted his week, but top scorer Diego Costa could also return after three weeks out with hamstring problems.

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