Premiership title race still open, Mourinho insists

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho believes the Barclays Premier League title race is still wide open despite Manchester City’s loss to Liverpool on Sunday.

  The defeat means Manuel Pellegrini’s side are now five points behind Chelsea, who have also played a game less after taking the weekend off league action to beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Capital One Cup final.

  Chelsea are now firm favourites to add the Premier League title to their trophy haul this season but Mourinho insists City, and even Manchester United, remain in contention.

  “It’s in the hands of everyone,” Mourinho said.

“We have lots of difficult matches to play. City have difficult matches.

  “United are third, right? Nine points (behind)? They are in the title race too. Liverpool (beating Manchester City), I predicted that.”

  Mourinho banned television from the hotel and team bus before the final at Wembley to prevent his players from being distracted by City’s result against Liverpool.

  “I knew that was an impossible mission, but I didn’t want the television on in the hotel or on the bus,” Mourinho explained.

  “I told them (the players) I didn’t want any kind of manifestation or disappointment if City scored in the last minute, or Liverpool won. I wanted complete silence.

“We were successful on that. But one member of my staff jumped up in the bus. Silvino (Louro, an assistant first-team coach). I wanted to kill the guy. He broke the rule.”