PREMIER LEAGUE: Wenger - Ranieri created all-conquering Chelsea, not Mourinho

Arsène Wenger comes face-to-face with the man he credits for making Chelsea a footballing force this afternoon.

The Gunners travel to Leicester and Wenger insists that Ranieri laid the foundations for the success Chelsea have enjoyed over the last decade and that the likes of Jose Mourinho have simply piggy backed on what the Italian did.

Leicester are the only unbeaten team in the Premier League and Wenger hailed Ranieri as a “great manager and great man” who was only given one season by Roman Abramovich after he bought the club in 2003.

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“When Claudio left Chelsea he had built the team that was so successful at the start,” said Wenger. “I remember them finishing second in the league with Ranieri and the team was upcoming with young players like John Terry and Frank Lampard, who were the players that contributed to the success of Chelsea.”

Mourinho has scoffed at Ranieri’s managerial record and the relationship between the pair was unpleasant when they managed Inter and Juventus respectively.

Wenger, however, said: “I’ve followed his career because I have big respect for Claudio Ranieri. He’s a great manager and a great man.”