LONDON -- Antonio Conte has warned his Premier League managerial rivals that he is ready for a "fight" if they maintain their public criticism of him and his Chelsea players.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho made the latest in a series of thinly-veiled barbs towards Conte this week, when he referred to coaches who act like "a clown on the touchline," while Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger doubled down on his accusation that Eden Hazard dived to win a penalty in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
A visibly annoyed Conte responded in his Friday news conference by suggesting that Mourinho has a memory problem when it comes to his own past actions on the pitch, and claiming that Wenger should show more respect for referees and other clubs.
And the Italian went on to say that he is prepared to meet fire with fire if he feels he or his players are being unfairly singled out.
"In my one year and a half [in England] I never talked about other coaches. If I spoke about other coaches, it was only to make compliments. Otherwise I stay silent but I repeat: In this situation, you must have respect and I think that I do this, but at the same time I am starting to be a bit annoyed because once, twice [it has happened].
"The people who know me very well in Italy [know my personality] ... for this reason you must pay great attention when you speak because if you want to go to fight with me I am ready. I have zero problems. I am improving a bit my English because this is the real problem for me, otherwise we can go to fight. I'm ready to fight for me, my players, the club, with everyone. I have no problem."
Conte also renewed his attack on Mourinho with a barely-disguised criticism of his own, referring to "other persons" who regularly turn their weekly news conferences into a spectacle.
Asked if other managers' comments annoy him, Conte replied: "I must be honest -- I don't read [any of it]. The only opportunity to know about these situations is during the news conference. I am not prepared like other persons to make a cinema, because there are other persons who prepare to have a cinema in the news conference, before the game and during the game. I am not this type of person.
"At the same time, when I start to listen with regularity to this situation it is right to answer, because it is funny and I laugh a lot."
Mourinho wasted no time in hitting back at Conte's criticism, however, reminding the Chelsea manager on Friday night he was previously accused in a match-fixing scandal for which the Italian was later acquitted.
"I don't need Chelsea manager to say I made mistakes in past and will in future," Mourinho said. "What I will say is I will never be banned for match fixing."
When it was put to him that Mourinho's penchant for outspoken quotes might be a form of deflection, Conte replied: "I don't know. Now it is very difficult to do only cinema [in football]. Maybe in the past with the cinema it was enough. Now you have to show football knowledge and the cinema is not enough for the coach."
Conte has been vocal in recent weeks about improving the depth of his squad in January, and Chelsea made their first signing on Friday, moving swiftly to acquire Ross Barkley for £15 million from Everton.
Barkley is a signing driven primarily by Chelsea rather than Conte, but the Italian still spoke highly of the 24-year-old's ability and potential.
"We are talking about a player with great potential," the Italian said. "He is a complete player but at the same time he is very young and he has just started his career."
Asked what he meant by "complete," Conte added: "Complete because he has it all. He has stamina, he is strong physically, he has good technique. He is fast, and has stamina. He is a modern footballer."