Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has accused Arsenal's coaching staff of breaching football etiquette by straying into his team's half during the pre-match warm-up ahead of Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium.
Television footage captured the 41-year-old losing his temper before kick-off, shouting: "Stay in your half. Stay in your f***ing half. F***ing stay there."
The cameras did not reveal which member of Arsenal's staff had provoked the furious reaction from the Blues boss.
Arsenal went on to win the match 1-0 through a Kai Havertz goal, progressing to the final with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Liam Rosenior shouted at the Arsenal players during the warm-up
|SKYSPORTS
Speaking on Thursday ahead of Chelsea's trip to Wolves, Rosenior clarified that his ire was not directed at Arsenal's players but rather their coaching staff.
"I'm respectful. When you warm up, you have your half, the other team have their half," he explained.
"I've never asked my team or my coaches to encroach on the opposition's territory."
The Chelsea manager acknowledged his approach was less than diplomatic, stating: "In that moment, I didn't think it was right where they were operating.
"They were affecting my lads' warm-up and my staff's warm-up.
"So I asked them, maybe not politely, to make sure they stay in their half."
Liam Rosenior said that the Arsenal warm-up had affected his players and coaches
|REUTERS
Rosenior stressed that the sport has established conventions that should be observed, particularly when it comes to territorial boundaries during preparations.
"I'm not here to have mind games. It's just what I think is right and respectful," he said.
"Hopefully, we respect that and other teams do too."
The Chelsea boss was keen to emphasise that his frustration was specifically aimed at members of the Gunners' backroom team rather than their squad.
"There are certain etiquettes in football. I always try and be as respectful as possible. I always want to win," Rosenior added.
Despite the heated exchange, Rosenior was at pains to make clear he harbours no ill will towards the north London club or their management.
Arsenal went on to win the match 1-0, landing a 4-2 aggregate victory
|REUTERS
"I don't have an issue with anyone at Arsenal Football Club," he stated.
"A fantastic manager, Mikel Arteta, I've got so much respect for."
However, the Chelsea head coach maintained his position that the incident represented a lapse in professional courtesy.
"In that moment I didn't think it was right where they were operating" 🗣️
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 5, 2026
Liam Rosenior explains his exchange with Arsenal staff on the touchline whist both sides were warming up 🔵 pic.twitter.com/cgsstW8H8b
"It was just in that moment, I didn't think that respect was shown to my team," Rosenior concluded.
Chelsea travel to Molineux on Saturday, with doubts remaining over the fitness of Reece James and Pedro Neto following their absence from the Arsenal defeat.