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They both claim the feud is over.

But when Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger stare into the whites of each other’s eyes at The Emirates, nobody really believes the animosity will have disappeared.

It was too bitter, too intense, too venomous for everything to be forgotten over a few cosy meals.

Remember the “voyeur” jibe, Mourinho’s claim that Wenger was obsessed with events at Stamford Bridge, using his “big telescope” to peer over the fence into Chelsea’s back garden?

It was a pernicious allegation, said for effect, aware of the connotations and the disgraceful abuse the Frenchman has been on the receiving end of ever since an allegation, fuelled by City of London traders, and angrily refuted on the steps of Highbury soon after his Arsenal reign began.

That was all part of Chelsea boss Mourinho’s famous “dossier”, a 120-page compilation of everything he believed Wenger had said against himself and Chelsea.

In fact, the “dossier” was merely a collection of cuttings from newspapers, collated in the top drawer of the club’s former director of communications.

(Image: Clive Rose)

Mourinho tried to make an issue of former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein’s role at the FA, even venturing into Dan Brown territory.

“Some clubs are treated as devils, some are treated as angels,” he said. “I don’t think we are so ugly that we should be seen as the devil and I don’t think Arsene Wenger and David Dein are so beautiful that they should be viewed as angels.”

But it was a two-way street. When Wenger spoke about “moral integrity” we all knew who was in his sights. Arsenal, remember, went for the jugular after Mourinho and Peter Kenyon brazenly tapped up Ashley Cole.

The Arsenal boss was cutting in his comments. Referring directly to his rival, he said: “When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent.”

Later, as Mourinho sniped away even after his departure from Chelsea, Wenger responded: “What matters is the way you play, the way you behave, the competition itself. To win trophies is important but that’s not the only thing in sport.”

So it went on, an undercurrent that outlived their on-field rivalry, which made Mourinho’s peace offering in the summer more surprising.

The Portuguese insisted he had altered his opinion of Wenger, whom he described as “a very nice guy”, adding: “I’ll show my respect always. I wouldn’t bet for one single problem between us.”

Last night, Wenger, likely to raid his youth ranks to fill out the starting side against Chelsea’s shadow team, stuck to his side of the bargain.

Quizzed over his relationship with Mourinho, Wenger said: “With all competitors there are ups and downs.

“You could see that again on Sunday between (Manuel) Pellegrini and Mourinho, because we put our whole heart into every single game.

(Image: Empics)

“Sometimes we go overboard and that is part of the job. With the distance after, it always settles.

“It was not a big surprise that he has come back because there was talk about it many times. When he left Madrid, it looked to be one of his best opportunities to come back.

“What the Premier League wants first is the quality of the games and with his teams you will always a tough game. That is what you want.”

So far, so good, and Mourinho, set to include David Luiz, Juan Mata, Willian and Samuel Eto’o after rowing back on his threat to field an under-18 side, opted for no more than a gentle wind-up.

Moaning, with reason, about being forced to play barely 48 hours after the win over Manchester City, Mourinho joked: “If they want us not to win a trophy, that’s a help. If they want Arsenal to win a trophy, that’s a help too!

“Arsene and myself, we have no problems, no problems. Unless you tell me that he had an influence on this (fixture date). But if you tell me that...if you tell me that...”

This time there was a mischievous smile, nothing more. Would you bet on it lasting 45 minutes tonight, let alone the whole game? Not on past history.

And with 9,000 Chelsea fans ensuring an even more boisterous atmosphere than normal for a last 16 clash in the Capital One Cup, you suspect as much scrutiny will fall on the interaction between the two benches as anything that takes place on the pitch.