Chelsea face points cut over 'tap-up' of Cole

The Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, last night called on the Premier League to dock Premiership points from leaders Chelsea if the allegations that the Stamford Bridge club have made an illegal approach to the England left-back Ashley Cole prove to be true.

The Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, last night called on the Premier League to dock Premiership points from leaders Chelsea if the allegations that the Stamford Bridge club have made an illegal approach to the England left-back Ashley Cole prove to be true.

His words follow a day of controversy that could even threaten Chelsea's seemingly-unassailable 10-point lead at the top of the Premiership after it was alleged that manager Jose Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon met with Cole on Thursday at a hotel in London.

Chelsea have refused to deny the Sunday newspaper reports, and Mourinho himself joked about the alleged meeting following his side's 2-0 victory over Birmingham City in the fourth round of the FA Cup yesterday. He shrugged off questions on the matter and kidded reporters that he had been in Milan talking to Internazionale's Brazilian striker Adriano.

However, the allegations are extremely serious for Chelsea and, if proved to be correct, would mean that they have broken K3 of the Premiership's regulations on illegal approaches to players ­ or "tapping up" as it is known. That offence is punishable by either a heavy fine, points deduction or suspension from the Premiership. Hill-Wood added: "The Premier League rules are very clear on this matter. If the club are presented with evidence that those rules have been contravened, I am sure we will take the matter further. These are very serious allegations and we will be investigating the matter as quickly as possible.

"It has been reported in a very definite manner and that makes you think something untoward has gone on. We cannot let this pass. Ashley Cole is under contract to Arsenal for another two seasons and I am sure the club will be talking to him about these reports in an effort to get this matter resolved.

"It would not be the first time that another club has tried to speak to our contracted players."

Although the deduction of points would be an extreme measure against Chelsea, and unlikely, the alleged incident could potentially cause great embarrassment to Kenyon.

He was previously caught talking to the England coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson, at his home in March last year during Chelsea's protracted search for a new manager.

Cole, 25, was alleged to have had the meeting with Kenyon, Mourinho and Israeli agent Pini Zahavi on Thursday at the Royal Park Hotel. The Arsenal vice-chairman, David Dein, described the allegations about the meeting as a "serious matter".

However, Mourinho brushed off questions about Cole at the Birmingham post-match Press conference. He said jokingly: "I was in Milan with Adriano. I trained in the morning and met him in the afternoon so how could I have been with Ashley Cole? I was just practising my Portuguese with Adriano."

He added: "Steven Gerrard, Adriano, [Valeri] Bojinov, Ashley Cole ­ and next week it will be another one. It's name after name. I have no time to meet players, I am concentrating on winning some silverware for us."

The player's agent, Jonathan Barnett, denied that his client had attended a meeting. He said: "Any suggestion that Ashley Cole has spoken to anyone at Chelsea is total and utter nonsense. There is no problem between Ashley and Arsenal. Ashley is extremely happy at Arsenal ­ he has neither asked for nor considered a move."

The issue of "tapping up" players has become a thorny subject in English football. Most recently, the Aston Villa manager, David O'Leary, was reprimanded by the Premier League for an approach to James Beattie, then at Southampton.