Head to head for Mourinho, Ferguson

JOSE Mourinho and Alex Ferguson have been given an immediate opportunity to resume their war of words as the new Barclays Premiership season threatens to kick off in explosive fashion.

New Chelsea manager Mourinho and Manchester United boss Ferguson will go head to head at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the campaign on August 14 just six months after their heated Champions League fall-out.

Mourinho, then manager at Porto, insisted Ferguson should apologise for comments made against Vitor Baia after the Scot claimed the veteran goalkeeper had made a meal of a tackle which resulted in the sending-off of Roy Keane in the first leg of their last-16 clash. Mourinho refused to pull his punches, believing Ferguson was upset as United had been "dominated by an opponent...built on maybe 10% of the budget," leaving Ferguson to berate Porto's gamesmanship.