Jose Mourinho has praised Chelsea’s consistency, with a hint of caution, as his side bid to wrap up a wire-to-wire Premier League victory.
Chelsea have led or shared the lead since the opening round of fixtures, and they entered this weekend’s matches seven points clear with eight matches remaining, beginning at QPR on Sunday.
Arsenal closed that gap to four points yesterday, but they have played two games more.
“To be top of the league since day one shows consistency, stability, confidence and a brave approach to every game,” Mourinho said. “We are there, we deserve to be there, but every game is difficult. And we still have eight matches to play.”
Mourinho said the Premier League – a championship more competitive than Italy’s Serie A or Spain’s Primera Liga, in his opinion – can throw up twists and turns in the closing weeks.
He was not surprised to see holders Manchester City slip up at Crystal Palace last Monday to all but end their title hopes.
“This is the Premier League. In other competitions, it’s difficult to believe that the top team can lose four, five, six, seven matches,” Mourinho said.
“In almost every country, it’s very difficult for a top team to lose so many matches.
“Here, yes. It’s possible. I’m not surprised. It’s happening to everybody. Everybody loses matches, everybody loses points.”
Mourinho will hope Chelsea are not among them at Loftus Road.
QPR manager Chris Ramsey said the London deby is more crucial to his side than it is to title-chasing Chelsea.
QPR go into the game two points from safety despite taking four points from their previous two fixtures.
And, with games running out, Ramsey feels Chelsea’s lead at the top means the game takes on extra significance for the hosts.
“It’s a big game for us,” he said. “They can afford to have a blip and still win the league, but on the flip side, we need to pick up every point we can.
“We all know what it means to the supporters – at this stage of the season, with what is at stake for both teams, it gives it added spice.”
Defender Clint Hill, who scored in Tuesday night’s 3-3 draw at Aston Villa, enjoyed the taste of victory in his first west London derby when QPR won 1-0 at home to Chelsea in 2011.
That game may now be remembered more for the verbal clash between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand, which landed the Chelsea captain a huge fine and a four-game ban for racial abuse, but Hill wants to see the positives from that performance replicated on Sunday.
“I think we shocked them that day,” he told Hoops Player.
“If we can show the same desire both on and off the pitch, then hopefully we can get a result again. Nobody expects us to win, but we believe we can give them a game.
“We are playing Chelsea who are top of the Premier League, and if you can’t get up for that challenge then there’s something wrong.”
Rodgers thrilled to see ‘outstanding’ Jordon Ibe back
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is ready to welcome back “sensational” teenager Jordon Ibe on Monday for Newcastle United’s visit to Anfield.
The winger, 19, has been out since February because of knee ligament damage, but his return to full fitness has left Rodgers confident he can recapture his pre-injury form.
Having returned from a loan spell with Championship side Derby County in the new year, Ibe had enjoyed an extended run in Liverpool’s first XI and Rodgers is excited for his comeback against Newcastle.
“Young Jordon Ibe will come back in, and I’ve got to say he’s looked absolutely sensational in training,” he said. “He’s been out for a while. But he’s been a couple of weeks now out on the field doing his preparation work and he’s joined in the training.
“He’s looked absolutely outstanding. He’s got real natural fitness and he’ll come into the squad for Monday night.”
Liverpool will head into the fixture buoyed by their FA Cup quarter-final replay win at Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, which came after back-to-back defeats had resulted in Rodgers fielding questions about a crisis.
Although Adam Lallana (groin) and Mario Balotelli (illness) are unlikely to bolster Rodgers’ attacking options, the recent form of midweek match-winner Philippe Coutinho has been pleasing for supporters.
Chelsea captain John Terry revealed in an Instagram post that he had voted for the Brazilian to be this year’s PFA Player of the Year, and Rodgers says there is more to come from him.
“His best years are way ahead of him. He’s such a humble boy, he wants to train and loves his football every day,” he said. “His performance level since he’s been here has been outstanding and is only going to get better.”
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