Despite being 12 points off the top of the Premier League, and even with Manchester City's then-unbeaten run, Jose Mourinho has still managed to make the headlines recently.

Manchester United's title ambitions are all but over, and after crashing out to Championship side Bristol City in the Carabao Cup, they were a laughing stock for a short while.

They're still in the FA Cup and Champions League, but the real story in recent times has been Mourinho's petulant spat with Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.

The feud started after Mourinho had words with the Italian following the Blues' 4-0 humbling of United at Stamford Bridge last season, and it has now spilled over into their press conferences.

The Portuguese suggested that some managers behave like "clowns" on the touchline when asked why he didn't celebrate his sides' goals, which was then linked to rivals Jurgen Klopp and Conte, who are both very exuberant when their teams score.

The former Juventus boss responded by calling Mourinho "senile" and a "little man", before Mourinho made a reference to a match-fixing scandal, of which Conte was cleared of any wrongdoing in Italy.

Finally, the Italian tried to end the war of words by simply saying he "won't forget" what's happened, asking reporters if he "has the look of a person who regrets" at his press conference.

It is all leading up nicely to a heated battle at Old Trafford between United and Chelsea next month, as both teams look to try and somehow keep up the little heat that is left on City at the top of the table.

However, Italian media may have given Conte the last laugh before they face off again next month, thanks to the brilliant prank they pulled on Mourinho.

When he arrived at the Lowry Hotel, where he is staying in Manchester, he was ambushed by the reporters and asked to sign a United shirt.

What the Portuguese didn't realise, unfortunately, was that the shirt had 'Antonio Conte 1' printed on the back.

He did see the funny side of things though, sharing a laugh with the media men before entering the hotel with a half-embarrassed look.

The incident will be long-forgotten for the 'Special One' if he is able to get the signing of Alexis Sanchez over the line, though, in what is reported to be a £180m deal.

United are set to give the Chilean £14m-per-year after tax in order to swap the Emirates for Old Trafford.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is set to be the make-weight in the deal, and is effectively being given an easy route out of Old Trafford, ending a nightmare spell at the club.

If Sanchez does end up signing for the Red Devils, Mourinho will fancy his chances of putting one over Conte even more next month.