LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea coach Avram Grant has praised Ashley Cole for the "mature" way in which he apologised for his dreadful tackle on Tottenham defender Alan Hutton.

Cole apologised after Wednesday's 4-4 Premier League draw against their London rivals to Scotland defender Hutton and referee Mike Riley, whom he turned his back on when the official was trying to book him for the dangerous studs-up challenge on Wednesday at White Hart Lane.

Chelsea, who've been much criticised along with other leading teams for surrounding referees to complain about decisions given against them, were in the spotlight again Wednesday for the way in which Cole and England team-mate Frank Lampard harassed Riley.

But Grant said the Football Association could cut down on the problem if they borrowed a longstanding rule from both rugby codes and made it clear that only the captain was allowed to talk to the referee.

"First you need to give credit to Ashley because he behaved like a mature guy," said Grant.

"He saw what he did the day afterwards and he apologised himself. Nobody pushed him to apologise and you need to give credit to him about that," the Israeli added.

"He made a tackle and he realised he needed to apologise about that and his behaviour. It is the first time he's done that kind of thing and he apologised.

"In football, unfortunately things happen, there are worse tackles than this.

"It's more important not to do it, I agree, but because it's football and it happens, it's more important to take responsibility.

"You need to give credit to a player who after only 24 hours saw it on TV and took responsibility for it."

Chelsea, five points behind leaders Manchester United and only two adrift of Arsena, face their London title rivals on Sunday in what is sure to be a fiery encounter at Stamford Bridge.

But Grant said discipline was not an issue he would be lingering in his pre-match team talk.

"I don't think we need to speak especially about this before this game," said Grant.

"It's one of the things we always pay attention to. If you say we've never spoken about it before and now because it's Arsenal we should do, then no.

"I believe very much in discipline and I believe very much that you need to remind players but I don't think there is a problem in our team."

However, Grant said that Chelsea, fined three times this season for failing to control their players on the pitch, were unfairly singled out for special treatment.

"Sometimes it is like Chelsea players are always going to the referee and the other teams never do. But we are not the only team and that's why the rule needs to be more clear.

"But the rules need to be more clear about some things such as who can go to the referee and who cannot go to him.

"A rule where the captain can only go to the referee would be good and more clear for everybody because then everyone will respect it."

Although Chelsea squandered a 3-1 lead against Tottenham, Grant said they were still well in the title hunt. Victory over Arsenal would put them into second place, with United still to come to Stamford Bridge.

"There are eight games to go. We wanted to get to the position where it would be in our hands.

"We've worked hard for this from when I came here and now we need to use this situation," Grant said.