Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has launched a scathing attack directed at Jose Mourinho by insisting that comments from the Chelsea boss that he was a 'specialist in failure' were 'silly' and 'disrespectful'.
"I do not want to go into that - those were silly, disrespectful remarks," Wenger said when asked about Mourinho's recent taunt after Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium to advance into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
"I never spoke about him (Mourinho) in my press conference," the Frenchman added.
"I know one thing, it is more embarrassing for Chelsea than it is for me."
Wenger, whose side are one point behind their London rivals in the Premier League title race, claimed on Friday that many of the teams at the top are afraid to back themselves due to a fear of failure, with Mourinho having labelled Chelsea the "little horse" behind Manchester City and Arsenal.
Mourinho responded with his "failure" jibe, a reference to the fact Arsenal under Wenger haven't won a major trophy since lifting the 2005 FA Cup.
"He (Wenger) is a specialist in failure," Mourinho said.
"If supposedly he (Wenger) is right and I am afraid of failure it is because I don't fail many times.
"I have lots of respect for him (Wenger) and he is a great manager. But failure is not winning a title for seven or eight years," added Mourinho, who won the Premier League twice in his first spell as Chelsea manager between 2004 and 2007, as well as claiming the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan and taking league titles in four countries.
Wenger's remarks following the Liverpool match came after former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson earlier Sunday labelled Mourinho a "boring bully" for his habit of verbally attacking rival managers.