Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has launched a scathing response after Manchester United manager JosÈ Mourinho labeled some of his coaching colleagues as "clowns" because of their excited touchline antics.

Mourinho was asked on Thursday about whether or not he still had the drive to continue as Manchester United manager, to which he replied: "Because I don't behave as a clown on the touchline, it means I have lost my passion? I prefer the way I am doing it. Much better for my team and myself. You see it every day in the way a person is dedicated to his work, not what you do in front of the cameras."

It was suggested by British media that Mourinho was likely referring to one or all of Conte, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp or Manchester City's Pep Guardiola, who are all known for their over-the-top celebrations.

Speaking on Friday ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup clash at Norwich City today, Conte accused Mourinho of having senile dementia when it comes to remembering how he used to act.

"I think he has to see himself in the past - maybe he was speaking about himself in the past. Maybe, sometimes, I think that someone forgets what's said in the past, which is his behaviour," Conte said. "Sometimes I think there is, I don't know the name, but dementia senile ... when you forget what you do in the past."

Mourinho's antics in 2004 when he ran down the sidelines at Old Trafford celebrating a goal for his Porto team, or in 2013-14 when Chelsea scored a late winner against PSG at Stamford Bridge, or his celebrations at Anfield after a Chelsea win in 2014, or when he poked Barcelona's coach Tito Villanova in the eye in a scuffle when he was Real Madridmanager, certainly wont give much credence to his own comments.