Jose: I would have been banned

Jose Mourinho suggested he would have been given a stadium ban had he been the perpetrator, rather than the victim, of Arsene Wenger’s push.

The Chelsea boss was pushed firmly in the chest by the Arsenal manager during the Premier League leaders’ 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge earlier this month as Wenger’s winless run against his nemesis extended to 12 games.

The FA took no further action as the touchline fracas, which came after Gary Cahill’s foul on Alexis Sanchez, was witnessed and dealt with by the match officials.

Mourinho, who has a history of falling foul of disciplinary regulations, did not expect Wenger to be punished, but believes he would have been had the roles been reversed.

“No, I’m not surprised,” Mourinho said. “I’m not surprised.”

Asked if he felt he would have been charged had he pushed a rival manager, a smiling Mourinho said: “Charged? Charged? Or stadium ban?”

It was the second successive home game in which Mourinho had irked rival coaching staff after Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert and his assistant Roy Keane expressed their annoyance when a handshake was offered by the Portuguese prior to the end of their side’s 3-0 loss.

Keane described the action as “disgraceful” and Lambert as “disrespectful”.

Mourinho added: “I don’t comment. I’d prefer not to comment. “I don’t know if he (Keane) really feels it, or if he wants to sell books and needs my help for that. I don’t know. I know my nature, I know my intentions.”

Mourinho, with a sarcastic tone, added: “But, from people like him and his boss, I think I have a lot to learn about how to behave and I appreciate the comment. I think they are both two great examples of polite and very well educated people and because I am a humble guy who tries to learn every day and with every experience, I appreciate the comments.”

Asked if he would do it again, Mourinho responded “yes”, before responding “no” when asked if he could understand why someone would be upset by his actions. He refused to comment when asked to respond over suggestions the action was arrogant.

Chelsea have a number of fitness concerns ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park. Diego Costa, Ramires (groin), Didier Drogba (ankle), Andre Schurrle (illness) and John Obi Mikel (undisclosed) will be assessed prior to the match.

Costa’s fragile hamstrings have been the subject of much debate, but it is unclear what the latest issue is. The £32m signing from Atletico Madrid, who has scored nine goals in seven Premier League games, reported to Chelsea’s Surrey training base on Monday despite having been told to take two days off and return to training on Wednesday.

“The Spanish team played in Luxembourg on Sunday,” Mourinho said.

“I gave them — Diego, (Cesc) Fabregas and (Cesar) Azpilicueta — two days off.

“Monday and Tuesday off, so they had to report to train Wednesday at 3pm and Diego was here Monday at 9am.

“So you can imagine how strong he was to be here Monday at 9am.”

Asked if Costa was reporting for treatment, Mourinho said: “No comments.”

Palace boss Neil Warnock refuses to think about Chelsea’s array of attacking players as it would cause him sleepless nights.

“I don’t think you can stop Diego Costa,” Warnock said.

“And you can talk about Costa but there is also Eden Hazard, Oscar — you name it, they are all top-class players.

“There’s Cesc Fabregas and the unsung heroes. But we worry about our players not theirs.

“If you think about their players too much, you wouldn’t sleep.”

Palace beat Chelsea in the corresponding fixture last season, dealing a huge late-season blow to the Blues’ title hopes.

“This is the type of league where there’s always a chance. We are 7/1 apparently. But there is always an opportunity,” Warnock said.

“I don’t think there is a club we can’t beat in the Premier League and that’s the same for every team in the Premier League. Results are possible everywhere.”

Palace defender Scott Dann has been ruled out of today’s clash a knee injury.