After seemingly refusing to shake the Arsenal manager’s hand after Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Highbury on Sunday, it appears that Mourinho has bought into the festive spirit after all, casting his sulky showing in a different light.

It is understood that the Chelsea manager sent signed Christmas cards to all 19 of his rival Barclays Premiership managers last week, but the one he dispatched to London N5 contained a personal message. In the card, Mourinho apologised to Wenger for his part in the “voyeur” row this season and emphasised that his words were not meant as a personal attack. He added that it was never his intention to offend his adversary and offered apologies if he had taken his words personally.

Mourinho had earlier offered to apologise to Wenger if the Frenchman said sorry to him, but by sending the card has shown a willingness to make the first move. In his pre-match press conference last week, Wenger shrugged off sending cards as an English tradition, though he failed to mention that he had already received one, a fact not lost on Mourinho. Perhaps, as is the custom in France, he will send season’s greetings in the new year.

The Portuguese was not particularly put out by Wenger’s failure to acknowledge him but was angered by another incident before Sunday’s match. While both teams were warming up, a member of Arsenal’s backroom staff approached his Chelsea counterpart to ask if the card had been sent by Mourinho or a member of his communications department, casting doubts over his sincerity.

Just before kick-off, Mourinho waited outside his dugout in anticipation of a welcome from Wenger, in the manner with which he greets visiting managers at Stamford Bridge, but was disappointed to see his adversary walk straight past. Arsenal acknowledged receipt of the seasonal missive yesterday with a seriousness usually reserved for communications of state, although they added a caveat. It is claimed that Wenger did not enter the pitch until the last minute before kick-off and so did not have time to speak to his opposite number.

Sir Alex Ferguson has complained about his rival’s refusal to share a post-match drink and Mourinho has been similarly angered at receiving the cold shoulder. In the summer, he went as far as to say that he had no relationship with Wenger, although he did acknowledge that the Arsenal manager’s behaviour was always perfectly correct.

Wenger will have to open another unwanted envelope today because the FA has written to him asking him to explain his criticisms of Rob Styles, the referee on Sunday. Angered by the decision to disallow a “goal” by Robin van Persie for offside, Wenger accused Styles of being on Chelsea’s team, though it was assumed he was being sarcastic.

Mourinho is unlikely to have received a card from Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, who yesterday attacked Chelsea on two counts. Blatter launched a thinly veiled attack on the Portuguese after presenting Anders Frisk, the former referee, with the Fifa presidential award at the Fifa World Player of the Year Gala last night.

“He retired because he was the victim during a match of unacceptable physical and psychological abuse,” Blatter said, referring to Mourinho’s tirade against Frisk after last season’s Champions League clash between Barcelona and Chelsea.

He also criticised Chelsea in an article calling for a limit on foreign players. “If a club can only have five foreigners among their starting XI, then they will have to build on their own youth system,” he said.

“If Chelsea were forced to have five foreigners, then Roman Abramovich could not go on buying the best players across the world for exorbitant fees. Chelsea is the example of what should not happen.”