KNIGHT I’d love a glass with Jose, but not if we lose... I’ll be too angry

ANTONIO CONTE loves nothing more than a glass of red wine – preferably Italian. But the Chelsea manager admits that he struggles to understand the English tradition of rival managers getting together for a tipple in the aftermath of fierce Premier League matches. “I like red wine,” said Conte. “But I see this situation of having a glass of wine with the other manager being a bit difficult if we lose. “I have to be honest. To be in that situation after a defeat is difficult for me, but I really like this tradition in England. “It is part of the culture in England. I knew about it when I was back in Italy and I knew that Sir Alex Ferguson invited other managers to drink red wine with him.

“It’s fantastic, I love this. I hope to take this up, because I know it’s important to open your mind if you lose a match, to stay together, to speak.

“It’s fantastic to stay with the other manager and staff, to be all together and, if you win or lose, to drink wine.

“In Italy, I can see this being very difficult to do after the game because the culture is very different.

“And, of course, being Italian, I am sure the other managers will expect me to bring a good wine.”

Conte, perhaps naively, does not envisage having a problem with Jose Mourinho now that the former Chelsea boss is back in the Premier League at Manchester United.

He said: “I know Jose. Two years ago, I visited him in Cobham, at Chelsea’s training ground, and I saw a training session with him.

“He’s a good manager, one of the best in the world, and I have great respect for him. He is a winner.

“I can’t say we have great relationship, because we don’t speak every day, but I have great respect.

“Did I speak to him before I took the Chelsea job? No, it doesn’t happen. I visited Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham and I also spoke with Sam Allardyce and also with Mauricio Pochettino. “It was then that I started to think that I would like to have an experience outside of my country.” Hull v Leicester 12.30 Burnley v Swansea 3.00 C Palace v West Brom 3.00 Everton v Tottenham 3.00 Middlesbrough v Stoke 3.00 Southampton v Watford 3.00 Man City v Sunderland 5.30

Bournemouth v Man Utd Arsenal v Liverpool

Chelsea

v West Ham

1.30 4.00

1.30 » The reigning Premier League champions have never lost the opening game of their title defence in the competition’s history (W19 D4).

» A newly-promoted side hasn’t won on the opening weekend of a PL campaign since 2012 when West Ham beat Aston Villa (1-0). » Wayne Rooney has scored more goals on the opening weekend than any other player currently playing in the Premier League (6). Man City 9/4 Man Utd 3/1 Chelsea 6/1 Arsenal 6/1 Liverpool 9/1 Tottenham 10/1 Leicester 22/1 West Ham 80/1 Everton 80/1 Southampton 100/1 Middlesbro’ 500/1 C Palace 500/1 Stoke 500/1 Hull 500/1 Watford 1000/1 Swansea 1000/1 Burnley 1000/1 Sunderland 1000/1 West Brom 1000/1 Bournemouth 1000/1