Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho ends feud with Chelsea rival Antonio Conte

United moved six points clear of Chelsea with a valuable 2-1 win

Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte greeted each other before kick-off (Getty)

Jose Mourinho has called time on his bitter feud with Antonio Conte and believes that the pair’s decision to shake hands at Old Trafford on Sunday has brought an end to any animosity between them.

Mourinho’s Manchester United moved six points clear of Conte’s Chelsea in the Premier League table with a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard after Willian’s first-half opener.

Much of the pre-match build-up revolved around a spat between the two managers last month, which saw Conte label Mourinho as a “little man” after the United manager had criticised his touchline demeanour.

It was thought that the two managers may clash while sharing the same touchline at Old Trafford, but they instead appeared to bury the hatchet, shaking hands before kick-off and then again at full time.

Mourinho said after the final whistle that any ill feeling between the pair had passed, claiming: “The handshake doesn’t need any words.

“I think that is what me and Antonio want to show to everyone. The handshake before and after the match I think is an example that everything in football you have to move and respect each other.

The United manager then slipped into the third person, adding: “Mourinho and Conte, they are not two ordinary persons in football. We have a history, we have an image and I’m really happy with that.”

Conte did not speak at length about Mourinho, but suggested that the handshakes were his counterpart’s idea. “I repeat, he wanted to shake hands and we did this,” he said.