It is not too long ago that expressing even the smallest admiration for Arsenal in the company of anyone employed by Chelsea was enough to guarantee a sarcastic response, or a withering put-down. The clubs argued bitterly at a Premier League tribunal over Ashley Cole, compiled lengthy dossiers documenting insulting comments about each other from their respective managers and Arsène Wenger and José Mourinho even rowed over a Christmas card at the height of the pantomime.

Mercifully times have changed, with the adults regaining control of the kindergarten. Indeed, such is the spirit of rapprochement that Luiz Felipe Scolari, as his first meeting with Arsenal approached, went as far yesterday as to suggest that Chelsea have much to learn from their London rivals, magnanimous words that would never have been uttered while Mourinho was at the club. For one thing, the financial landscape has changed since Mourinho’s dismissal, however, and even Chelsea can no longer afford to focus on buying ready-made talent.

Chelsea’s youth set-up remains light years behind that of Arsenal’s — just look at their respective Carling Cup teams — but at a lower level they are making progress despite shunting Frank Arnesen towards the exit. After reaching the final of last season’s FA Youth Cup Chelsea took a significant step towards going one better with an impressive 3-2 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday, in which Gaël Kakuta, a French midfield player, earned rave reviews.

“Chelsea are trying to learn from Arsenal,” Scolari said. “We’re trying to work with young players in the academy. Any coach who has young players with quality would put those players on the pitch, but you need quality. Chelsea were a club that spent money four or five years ago, but not now. With me we’ve only spent money on Deco.

“I said one month ago that coaches and boards need to think about money. Maybe two or three years ago there was more money. Now there’s less and we need to think about this. I am at Chelsea and I receive my salary every month very well, the players as well.

“Maybe if you go to another club you won’t receive the same kind of treatment. Outside, you know, there’s a big worry about people’s jobs.”

Much of this more enlightened approach springs from Scolari’s relationship with Wenger. The pair have been friends for more than a decade, Scolari having been regularly entertained at the Frenchman’s house in North London during his time as coach of Brazil and Portugal.

“This is the first time I’ll have played against Wenger, but he’s been my friend for 12 years now,” Scolari said. “I first met him in Japan and we are big friends. If I chose five coaches in the world as the best, he’d be one of the five.

“Arsène is a man who builds teams and Arsenal are very good every year. When you change two or three players in one season you need time, but the time for Arsène is now. They can play very well and win many games. They play beautiful football and, in these big games, they play better than in the other games.

“I watched their game against Manchester United and it was one of the best in the Premier League. This game against Chelsea will be like that, too. People all over the world will write about this game.”

Scolari is confident that the friendship can survive any tantrums on the touchline in their first professional encounter. Chelsea have dropped more points against Arsenal than any other team in the Premier League, but the balance of power has shifted dramatically recently, with Wenger’s side without a win in 13 matches stretching back almost five years. Wenger will be desperate to disprove a theory, which definitely pertains to his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson, that his popularity is inversely proportional to the threat posed by Arsenal.