Mourinho blasts FA charge and claims he is singled out for abuse by football authorities

By David Kent for MailOnline

Published: 06:01 EDT, 22 March 2014 | Updated: 15:39 EDT, 23 March 2014

Jose Mourinho has claimed he is singled out for harsher treatment than other Premier League managers after being charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

Mourinho was punished this week in relation to his dismissal by referee Chris Foy towards the end of last Saturday’s controversial loss at Aston Villa while his opposite number Paul Lambert escaped sanction.

Chelsea will hope to return to winning ways against Arsenal in the week that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger reaches 1,000 games in charge of the club, and Mourinho will be on the touchline for the encounter.

Marching orders: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was sent off during the defeat against Aston Villa

Punished: Mourinho was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for the incident

Double standards: Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert also encroached on the pitch but escaped punishment

But he insists he is treated differently to his contemporaries by football's governing bodies and has hit out at the FA's decision to charge him.

'Look, you see the charges from the last match, and you see that I’m different than anyone else,' Mourinho said.

'In the eyes of people, I am different. That, I think, is obvious.

'It’s obvious there’s a measure for some, there is a measure for me.

'There is a way where I can feel the differences, all the time.'

Fighting back: Mourinho will contest the FA's charge but could be hit with a large fine for doing so

Incident: Mourinho and Lambert sprung into life following Ramires' horror challenge on Karim El Ahmadi

The Portuguese will contest the charge, which could see him hit with a £10,000 fine.

He said: 'It can be £1. It’s the principle.'

Mourinho, who has never lost in 10 previous matches with Wenger and in 75 Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge, stopped short of a glowing tribute to the Arsenal boss on the eve of his landmark game.

'There are many ways of paying tribute,' Mourinho said.

'For me to pay tribute is to say that he’s in a position where everybody would like to be.

'I love my career and the experiences I’ve had in my career, but he’s in a position where everybody would love to be.'

The renewal of hostilities has coincided with an Arsenal renaissance - they are FA Cup favourites after reaching the semi-finals - and Mourinho believes Wenger’s men are performing well this term.

'This season they are better than last season,' he said.

'Last season, in this moment, they were struggling to finish top four. This season they are safe in a top-four position and in condition to fight for the title.'

Grumpy: Ahead of the game against Arsenal, Mourinho has claimed he is singled out for harsh treatment

Special one: The Chelsea boss says he can feel the differences in the way he is treated all the time