Diego Costa is in line to feature for Chelsea against Stoke City on Saturday after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The Spain striker, who is the joint-leading goalscorer in the Barclays Premier League with 19 goals, sustained the injury during his side's 3-2 victory over Hull City two weeks ago and withdrew from international duty as a result, but the 26-year-old returned to training this week and is expected to be available for selection against the Potters for Saturday's early evening kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
"Diego trained yesterday and today with the group and he is not injured," Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I don't know if I start with him or not because after a muscular injury and then just two days with the group, I need to analyse the situation with him and make a decision.
"His injury was the same as before, hamstring, and he dedicated himself to that with no days off for him or the medical department, working morning and afternoon.
"We did all the tests and scans to confirm the situation two days ago and at the moment the muscle is fine, but football is more than that, you need confidence, you need to believe you are free to express yourself at the maximum intensity and that is our doubt at the moment. Let's see in the next 24 hours."
Chelsea are sitting pretty at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a six-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City and a match in hand over the chasing pack, which they play against struggling Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday. They have not lost in the Barclays Premier League since a 5-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day and are the only team in the four divisions who are unbeaten at home in the league this season. And now Mourinho describes the task head as one of "pure mathematics".
"It is a good situation for us and one all the other clubs would like to be in, but we need to do that and we haven't yet," he said. "But it's pure mathematics: we need to win six matches and draw one."
Midfielder John Obi Mikel (knee) will also be assessed after a month on the sidelines but the visit of Stoke is likely to come too soon for him.
Mark Hughes, meanwhile, is eager to celebrate his new contract by ending Stoke's long wait for a win at Stamford Bridge.
The Potters have lost their last eight matches at Chelsea and January 2009 was the last time they scored at Hughes' former side.
The Staffordshire club have failed to hit the back of the net in seven visits since then and not since a 1-0 League Cup success back in 1995 have they secured an away win over Chelsea.
Stoke's winless streak at Chelsea in league matches goes back to 1984 and Hughes, who last week agreed a three-year extension to his current deal, knows they are overdue a victory over the club where he spent three years in his playing days.
"Our record there hasn't been great, but that is the case for most teams," he said. "The last time the club got a positive outcome down there was in 1984, and I think my first-team coach [Eddie Niedzwiecki] was in goal that day. I'm not sure what that says about him to be honest.
"We have acquitted ourselves well in big games on the road this season, and we want to go down to London and put in another good performance. It will be incredibly difficult because they have world-class players and they have an outstanding man in charge.
"I don't think they have been playing as well as they were at the start of the season, but they are still picking up positive results. They don't have Europe to contend with now and maybe that will help them in their bid to lift the title."
Back-to-back defeats against West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace before the international break have left Stoke 10th.
On-loan Stoke winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Hughes expects Jonathan Walters (knock) and Marc Muniesa (hamstring) to be fit.
Chelsea (from): Blackman, Cech, Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Christensen, Filipe, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Hazard, Loftus-Cheek, Matic, Mikel, Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Costa, Drogba, Remy.
Stoke City (from): Begovic, Butland, Sorensen, Bardsley, Cameron, Muniesa, Pieters, Shawcross, Teixeira, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wollscheid, Adam, Ireland, N'Zonzi, Palacios, Sidwell, Whelan, Arnautovic, Crouch, Diouf, Walters.
Match Appointments
Referee: Jonathan Moss Assistants: D England, E Smart Fourth Official: M Jones
Match Facts
Stoke City have not scored in six of the last seven Barclays Premier League matches against Chelsea.
Chelsea have won 10 and lost one of their 13 BPL meetings with Stoke City.
The Blues have conceded eight goals in their last 22 league matches at Stamford Bridge, keeping 16 clean sheets in that run.
Peter Crouch has scored seven top-flight goals this season, but they have won Stoke City nine points. Conversely, Diego Costa's 19 league goals have earned Chelsea eight points.
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The Spain striker, who is the joint-leading goalscorer in the Barclays Premier League with 19 goals, sustained the injury during his side's 3-2 victory over Hull City two weeks ago and withdrew from international duty as a result, but the 26-year-old returned to training this week and is expected to be available for selection against the Potters for Saturday's early evening kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
"Diego trained yesterday and today with the group and he is not injured," Mourinho said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "I don't know if I start with him or not because after a muscular injury and then just two days with the group, I need to analyse the situation with him and make a decision.
"His injury was the same as before, hamstring, and he dedicated himself to that with no days off for him or the medical department, working morning and afternoon.
"We did all the tests and scans to confirm the situation two days ago and at the moment the muscle is fine, but football is more than that, you need confidence, you need to believe you are free to express yourself at the maximum intensity and that is our doubt at the moment. Let's see in the next 24 hours."
Chelsea are sitting pretty at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a six-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City and a match in hand over the chasing pack, which they play against struggling Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday. They have not lost in the Barclays Premier League since a 5-3 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on New Year's Day and are the only team in the four divisions who are unbeaten at home in the league this season. And now Mourinho describes the task head as one of "pure mathematics".
"It is a good situation for us and one all the other clubs would like to be in, but we need to do that and we haven't yet," he said. "But it's pure mathematics: we need to win six matches and draw one."
Midfielder John Obi Mikel (knee) will also be assessed after a month on the sidelines but the visit of Stoke is likely to come too soon for him.
Mark Hughes, meanwhile, is eager to celebrate his new contract by ending Stoke's long wait for a win at Stamford Bridge.
The Potters have lost their last eight matches at Chelsea and January 2009 was the last time they scored at Hughes' former side.
The Staffordshire club have failed to hit the back of the net in seven visits since then and not since a 1-0 League Cup success back in 1995 have they secured an away win over Chelsea.
Stoke's winless streak at Chelsea in league matches goes back to 1984 and Hughes, who last week agreed a three-year extension to his current deal, knows they are overdue a victory over the club where he spent three years in his playing days.
"Our record there hasn't been great, but that is the case for most teams," he said. "The last time the club got a positive outcome down there was in 1984, and I think my first-team coach [Eddie Niedzwiecki] was in goal that day. I'm not sure what that says about him to be honest.
"We have acquitted ourselves well in big games on the road this season, and we want to go down to London and put in another good performance. It will be incredibly difficult because they have world-class players and they have an outstanding man in charge.
"I don't think they have been playing as well as they were at the start of the season, but they are still picking up positive results. They don't have Europe to contend with now and maybe that will help them in their bid to lift the title."
Back-to-back defeats against West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace before the international break have left Stoke 10th.
On-loan Stoke winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Hughes expects Jonathan Walters (knock) and Marc Muniesa (hamstring) to be fit.
Chelsea (from): Blackman, Cech, Courtois, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Christensen, Filipe, Ivanovic, Terry, Zouma, Cuadrado, Fabregas, Hazard, Loftus-Cheek, Matic, Mikel, Oscar, Ramires, Willian, Costa, Drogba, Remy.
Stoke City (from): Begovic, Butland, Sorensen, Bardsley, Cameron, Muniesa, Pieters, Shawcross, Teixeira, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wollscheid, Adam, Ireland, N'Zonzi, Palacios, Sidwell, Whelan, Arnautovic, Crouch, Diouf, Walters.
Match Appointments
Referee: Jonathan Moss Assistants: D England, E Smart Fourth Official: M Jones
Match Facts
Stoke City have not scored in six of the last seven Barclays Premier League matches against Chelsea.
Chelsea have won 10 and lost one of their 13 BPL meetings with Stoke City.
The Blues have conceded eight goals in their last 22 league matches at Stamford Bridge, keeping 16 clean sheets in that run.
Peter Crouch has scored seven top-flight goals this season, but they have won Stoke City nine points. Conversely, Diego Costa's 19 league goals have earned Chelsea eight points.
http://ift.tt/19Ziny1
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