Mourinho admits he now regrets his rows and taunting of Gunners boss

JOSE MOURINHO says he regrets his bust-ups with arch-rival Arsene Wenger – ahead of his final meeting with the Arsenal boss tomorrow.

Mourinho and Wenger have had a toxic rivalry since the Manchester United boss first came to England with Chelsea in 2004 and dethroned Arsenal as champions.

The pair traded insults, Mourinho branding Wenger “a specialist in failure” and a “voyeur”, while Wenger dismissed his rival as “stupid and disrespectful”, and they famously clashed on the touchline at Stamford Bridge. But ahead of the Premier League clash between the two at Old Trafford, Mourinho admitted he regretted the barbs and fall-outs – and believes Wenger will feel the same way.

“There are little things where it would be obviously better without them,” said Mourinho.

“Some gestures, some words, it would be better without. I feel better now without it, no doubts about it.

“But again, when I arrived in England in 2004, Arsenal were the champions and the famous Invincibles. For the next couple of years I was against them – Bergkamp, Thierry, Campbell, an amazing team – so again thank you very much for that. They pushed us to the limits. The two matches we played, not at the Emirates but at the amazing old stadium, were unforgettable.

“We had big matches, big fights, so thank you so much for that. Regret? Little negative episodes, yes I do – and probably he also does. I always feel the biggest rivals are our biggest friends, because they’re the ones that pushed us to the limit.

“I think United fans know that. Until 2004, for about a decade it was between United and Arsenal, it was between Sir Alex Ferguson and Mr Wenger.

“And I think these great teams Arsenal had fought shoulder to shoulder... and it made United better and better.”

Of the reception Wenger might get from United supporters, Mourinho added: “I hope he has a good reaction. If not good, not bad at all. And from us as a club he’s going to feel the respect we have.”