Jose Mourinho: 'Arsenal are a mature side'

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has indicated that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger can have no excuses if the Gunners fail to secure the Premier League title during the current campaign.

Arsenal dominated the early stages of the season before being pegged back by the Blues and Manchester City, but Mourinho has insisted that Wenger's side have matured into a "very good team" over the past few seasons.

The 51-year-old is quoted by The Mail as saying: "Arsenal have spent many, many years working together, making these players grow up and achieve this maturity level.

"These guys, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs, they are not kids any more. They were kids but, in this moment, they are mature players.

"The manager, with this group of players and having four, five or six years working with these players, and then adding fantastic players like Mezut Ozil, Santi Cazorla or Per Mertesacker to the team to add more experience - I think that he has a very good team."

Chelsea currently lead Arsenal at the top of the standings by one point.