Chelsea were third in the table sitting just two points behind league leaders Arsenal heading into Sunday’s fixtures, and speaking before the big Liverpool clash Mourinho ruled his side out of contention for the Premier League title.

According to ESPN, Mourinho is only prioritising a top-four finish. Speaking before the game which his side ultimately won 2-1, he said, “At this moment, everybody is there. It’s Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and City in the top four. This year, the pressure will be not just to win the title, but to get top four. I think it will be hard.”

He added, “If I have to say, and I know you’d like me to say, Manchester City are the big, big, big favourites. Liverpool are there, then Manchester United, in spite of being a few points behind. Leave us there, behind them. We’ll try and do our job and finish top four.”

Mourinho clearly believes Liverpool’s lack of European exertions gives them a big advantage in the title race.

He said, “Liverpool are on holidays for the whole season, one week to prepare a match, play the match, one more week to prepare the next match, which is an unbelievable advantage. I know Brendan has said they can’t win the title, that seventh to first has never happened, but I think they can.”

He added, “Because they are good, because Brendan is good, because they have time to prepare the team tactically, because they are not involved in the heat of the knock-out situation in the Champions League or even the Europa League. My players are going to play 60 matches. Liverpool will play 40 matches. It’s a big difference. When you add quality plus ambition plus this advantage, yes, they can win it.”

Well as usual Mourinho’s men delivered when it mattered most and won the crunch clash 2-1 thanks to Eto’o’s predatory strike after Hazard’s thunderbolt had equalised Skrtel’s opener for Liverpool.