Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has harsh words for Arsene Wenger

The Chelsea boss also insisted he rather quit than go eight years without a trophy like the Arsenal boss, as their feud reignited.

“He is a specialist in failure,” said Mourinho. “I’m not.

“For my mentality there is a limit. And you have to be strong enough and proud enough to admit when it’s enough.”

The rivals’ war of words escalated yesterday after Wenger claimed Mourinho was playing down his table-topping team’s title chances as he feared failure.

“If you declare yourself not in the race, you cannot lose it. Simple as that.” Wenger’s outburst, ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup clash with title rivals Liverpool, enraged Mourinho, whose men face Manchester City today. A few hours later, he hit back, and said: “If supposing he’s right and I’m afraid of failure, it’s because I don’t fail many times. “So maybe he’s right - I’m not used to failing. But the reality is he’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure. “If I did that in Chelsea I’d leave and not come back.” Mourinho said he could not say how long Russian owner Abramovich - who axed him after a poor start to the 2006-7 season - would give him to land a trophy but insisted it would not be as long as Wenger has been given at the Gunners.Wenger said: “Why are they saying they are not contenders? It is fear to fail.

“If you declare yourself not in the race, you cannot lose it. Simple as that.”

Wenger’s outburst, ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup clash with title rivals Liverpool, enraged Mourinho, whose men face Manchester City today.

A few hours later, he hit back, and said: “If supposing he’s right and I’m afraid of failure, it’s because I don’t fail many times.

“So maybe he’s right - I’m not used to failing. But the reality is he’s a specialist because, eight years without a piece of silverware, that’s failure.

“If I did that in Chelsea I’d leave and not come back.”

Mourinho said he could not say how long Russian owner Abramovich - who axed him after a poor start to the 2006-7 season - would give him to land a trophy but insisted it would not be as long as Wenger has been given at the Gunners.

If I do that at Chelsea, eight years, I leave London and I don’t come back,” he said.

“He is saying we’re claiming not to be candidates because we’re afraid of failure. Failure of what? Not winning a title this year? Or in two years?

“Failure is not winning a title in seven or eight years. That’s failure.”