Mature Ashley should be applauded for his swift and heartfelt apology says Chelsea boss Grant

Cole said sorry for his studs-up high challenge on the Spurs player after watching the incident on television the morning after Wednesday night's thrilling 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane.

Cole, who was also criticised for turning his back on referee Mike Riley as he was shown the yellow card, included the official in his apology.

Now Grant insists Cole should be applauded for his decision to apologise to both parties and called on the Football Association to make the rules clearer by only allowing team captains to protest to officials on the pitch.

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

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

"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.

"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."

Grant revealed that he reminds his players all the time about taking responsibility for their actions but linked Cole's apology with the lack of remorse shown by Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue in their league meeting earlier in the season.

Eboue's dangerous tackle on captain John Terry left the Chelsea player with a broken foot and sidelined him for two months but he never received an apology from the Gunner.

Grant said: "I tell my players all the time to take responsibility about what they do because there are players who have made worse tackles than this and didn't even get a yellow card or apologise.

"It has happened to us. Someone sent our captain to hospital for a few days and then he didn't play for a few weeks, I don't want to mention names, but they didn't apologise. Ashley has taken responsibility and apologised and I am giving him credit for it."

But Grant insisted he would not be telling his players anything special in terms of their behaviour before they face the Gunners in what is sure to be a highly volatile, top-of-the-table clash at Stamford Bridge.

"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."

But Grant believes that Chelsea, fined three times this season for failing to control their players on the pitch, are sometimes treated in an unbalanced way compared to others and called on the FA to make the rules clearer.

Grant declared: "Chelsea are not doing things that other teams have never done in their lives. 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."

Grant is in a confident mood ahead of their clash with Arsenal despite a throwing away a 3-1 lead against Spurs to draw 4-4 in midweek.

He believes they are in the best possible form at just the right time and does not believe a wavering Arsenal will be anything other than tough to beat.

Victory over Arsenal would put them in second place with leaders Manchester United yet to come to Stamford Bridge and Grant added: "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.

"I am very happy with my team's form. We've played very good football in the last few games and scored a lot of goals.

"We are in a good shape in the right moment and I am very proud of this and respect what the players have done."