Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has backed his players to bounce back from their UEFA Champions League elimination when they take on Southampton in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.
The league leaders drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday to exit Europe on away goals. Mourinho's sole focus is now on sealing the top-flight title, urging reporters at his news conference on Friday to direct their Champions League questions at Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger or Manchester City’s Manuel Pellegrini, both of whom remain in the competition.
Despite their midweek setback, the Portuguese is confident Chelsea will be celebrating further domestic honours come the end of the season, having already lifted the Capital One Cup.
"The people who went out last Wednesday are the same who've been top of the league since day one," he said. "They are the same people who won the Capital One Cup and the same people who are going to win the Premier League."
Chelsea came from behind to earn a point at Southampton in December, with Eden Hazard netting the leveller after Sadio Mane had put the hosts ahead. They are the only team to have fallen behind to Southampton and avoided defeat.
Southampton were in the top four at the time, but have since fallen away to seventh, and manager Ronaldo Koeman admits he is envious of some of the league's bigger clubs, including Chelsea.
"They have the best players, the most money," he said. "They have all players of international quality in their squads.
"It's normal that they are one of the first five or six in the Premier League. It's always a bit jealous for the rest of the teams. Everton did it one time, Swansea went close to that and now we are close, but it's not easy to reach finally that high position between the big ones.
"We know that, but we try and we can't do any more."
John Obi Mikel (knee) is Chelsea's only absentee, while Southampton have no fresh injury concerns following their recent trip to Switzerland.
Chelsea (from): Blackman, Cech, Courtois, Ake, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Christensen, Filipe, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Hazard, Matic, Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Costa, Drogba, Remy.
Southampton (from): K Davis, Forster, Gazzaniga, Alderweireld, Bertrand, Clyne, Fonte, Gape, Gardos, Targett, Yoshida, S Davis, Djuricic, Elia, Isgrove, Mane, McQueen, Reed, Schneiderlin, Tadic, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Gallagher, Long, Mayuka, Pelle, Seager.
Match Appointments
Referee: Mike Dean Assistants: J Brooks, S Long Fourth Official: A Taylor
http://ift.tt/1BlcOQw
The league leaders drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday to exit Europe on away goals. Mourinho's sole focus is now on sealing the top-flight title, urging reporters at his news conference on Friday to direct their Champions League questions at Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger or Manchester City’s Manuel Pellegrini, both of whom remain in the competition.
Despite their midweek setback, the Portuguese is confident Chelsea will be celebrating further domestic honours come the end of the season, having already lifted the Capital One Cup.
"The people who went out last Wednesday are the same who've been top of the league since day one," he said. "They are the same people who won the Capital One Cup and the same people who are going to win the Premier League."
Chelsea came from behind to earn a point at Southampton in December, with Eden Hazard netting the leveller after Sadio Mane had put the hosts ahead. They are the only team to have fallen behind to Southampton and avoided defeat.
Southampton were in the top four at the time, but have since fallen away to seventh, and manager Ronaldo Koeman admits he is envious of some of the league's bigger clubs, including Chelsea.
"They have the best players, the most money," he said. "They have all players of international quality in their squads.
"It's normal that they are one of the first five or six in the Premier League. It's always a bit jealous for the rest of the teams. Everton did it one time, Swansea went close to that and now we are close, but it's not easy to reach finally that high position between the big ones.
"We know that, but we try and we can't do any more."
John Obi Mikel (knee) is Chelsea's only absentee, while Southampton have no fresh injury concerns following their recent trip to Switzerland.
Chelsea (from): Blackman, Cech, Courtois, Ake, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Christensen, Filipe, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Hazard, Matic, Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Costa, Drogba, Remy.
Southampton (from): K Davis, Forster, Gazzaniga, Alderweireld, Bertrand, Clyne, Fonte, Gape, Gardos, Targett, Yoshida, S Davis, Djuricic, Elia, Isgrove, Mane, McQueen, Reed, Schneiderlin, Tadic, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Gallagher, Long, Mayuka, Pelle, Seager.
Match Appointments
Referee: Mike Dean Assistants: J Brooks, S Long Fourth Official: A Taylor
http://ift.tt/1BlcOQw
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