Arsene Wenger Responds to Jose Mourinho's Claims About Treatment from FA

Arsene Wenger has swatted away Jose Mourinho's claims he isn't under any pressure as Arsenal manager and that he receives special treatment from the Football Association.

Speaking after the Gunners' 5-2 Premier League away win over Leicester City, Wenger expressed surprise at his Chelsea counterpart's claims, according to Mirror reporter Darren Lewis: “No, I didn’t realise that, I must say. I feel I have just done my job with the team and for our fans."

Wenger was responding to Mourinho's latest verbal assault on his reputation and standing as the Premier League's longest-serving current manager. The Chelsea gaffer threw a tantrum after striker Diego Costa was retrospectively banned by the FA for his antics during the Blues' controversial 2-0 win over the Gunners at Stamford Bridge.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Arsenal centre-back Gabriel also saw red in that bad-tempered affair. But the FA subsequently cleared the Brazilian of a possible three-game ban.

Sensing a possible injustice or maybe just stirring the pot for the sake of it, Mourinho hit out at his entrenched rival. Per Sky Sports, the Chelsea boss said: "I think in this country, only one manager is not under pressure."

While he stopped short of naming Wenger, Mourinho made it clear exactly whom he was referring to: "You know. He can speak about the referees before the game, after the game, can push people in the technical area, can cry in the morning, cry in the afternoon and nothing happens. Can not achieve, keep the job, still the king...it's a privilege."

Before Chelsea's 2-2 draw at Newcastle United—a result that left the defending champions 15th and five points behind Arsenal—Squawka made light of the jibe:

Many will believe Mourinho has a point. After all, Wenger went eight seasons without a trophy before winning back-to-back FA Cups the last two years. But he hasn't won the Premier League since the 2003/04 season.

That could change this season, according to Claudio Ranieri, the man Wenger beat at Leicester and the manager Mourinho first succeeded at Chelsea back in 2004. He believes this Gunners side can win the Premier League this season, according to Daily Star Sunday's Dave Armitage: "I can say this for definite—I think they are built to win the title. You also need a little luck but their players and the whole squad is very good."

Ranieri's words are apt. Wenger, who is far from above aiming a cheeky dig Mourinho's way, had credited Ranieri as the architect of the team Mourinho guided to a pair of league titles in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons.

THOMAS KIENZLE/Associated Press

Per the Guardian's Paul Doyle, Wenger said:

"

When Claudio left Chelsea he had built the team that was so successful at the start. I remember them finishing second in the league with Ranieri and the team was upcoming with young players like John Terry and Frank Lampard, who were the players that contributed to the success of Chelsea.

"

He's now also countered Mourinho's words with a subtle reminder of the central difference between himself and the Portuguese manager, per Lewis: “Thirty years in football now, I know what is important is to play football well.”

Playing football well is not something even Mourinho's best teams have always managed. By contrast, Wenger is the game's ultimate purist.

He's also cultivated a reputation as one of football's true gentlemen, evidenced by his suave avoidance of Mourinho's latest outburst. Mourinho has hardly garnered the same reputation.

His constant public and verbal attacks on opposing managers—and even his own staff—create a dark cloud around the self-styled "Special One." So, the second Mourinho struggles he's naturally under pressure, because without silverware to compensate, the negative baggage is too much for his clubs to bear.

Fair or not, these are his own perceptions, and Mourinho is going to have to get over it at some point. The Arsenal boss certainly doesn't seem too flustered by this war of words at the moment.