Mourinho sparks mind games as Chelsea boss insists City are still in pole position

Jose Mourinho is adamant Manchester City, and not Chelsea, are in pole position to win the Premier League title despite guiding his side seven points clear at the summit with a 4-0 defeat of Tottenham.

Chelsea were the only top four team in Premier League action this weekend and moved seven points clear of Liverpool and Arsenal and nine ahead of City, who have three matches in hand.

Rather than having the points in the bag, Mourinho stated his preference for being in Manuel Pellegrini’s position, with a superior goal difference which means City will be champions if they win their final 12 games, even if Chelsea win all nine of theirs.

VIDEO Scroll down for post-match reactions from Jose Mourinho and Tim Sherwood

Mind games: Jose Mourinho's Chelsea are top of the league, but the Portuguese insists City are in pole position

Mind games: Jose Mourinho's Chelsea are top of the league, but the Portuguese insists City are in pole position

Sense of humour: Eto'o aims his celebration at those saying he is too old for the Chelsea team

Sense of humour: Eto'o aims his celebration at those saying he is too old for the Chelsea team

'I would like to be in their position, because if they win the matches they are top of the league,' Mourinho said.

'If we win the next nine matches, we may not be champions.

'If Manchester City win the 12 matches they have, they are champions. They have their destiny in their hands and we don’t have ours.

'I would prefer to have my destiny in my hands. It doesn’t depend on us. It depends on them.'

Mourinho admits mission one of his return season is complete, though, with a top-four finish and Champions League qualification seemingly secure.

'The top four is for us to lose,' said Mourinho, whose side have a commanding advantage over fifth-placed Spurs, sixth-placed Manchester United and seventh-placed Everton.

Marching orders: Referee Michael Oliver shows Younes Kaboul a red card for a challenge on Samuel Eto'o

Marching orders: Referee Michael Oliver shows Younes Kaboul a red card for a challenge on Samuel Eto'o

Finding the corner: Eden Hazard calmly slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal

Finding the corner: Eden Hazard calmly slotted the ball past Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal

'I really don’t believe that we are going to lose that distance.

'Now let’s go for objective number two, which is top three - which gives direct Champions League qualification.'

Samuel Eto’o scored the first and was fouled for the penalty which saw Younes Kaboul sent off and was scored by Eden Hazard. Demba Ba netted twice late on.

Eto’o himself was a late inclusion after Fernando Torres withdrew with a groin injury following the warm-up which could see him out for 'a couple of weeks'."

 
Going ahead: Eto'o pounced on a mistake from Jan Vertonghen to put Chelsea into the lead

Going ahead: Eto'o pounced on a mistake from Jan Vertonghen to put Chelsea into the lead

Favourites: Chelsea players celebrate as they move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League

Favourites: Chelsea players celebrate as they move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League

Cameroon striker Eto’o, whose age was questioned recently in unguarded comments made by Mourinho, celebrates his 33rd birthday on Monday and stood crooked at the corner flag, as if using it as an old man’s stick, following his goal.

Mourinho was aware of the celebration before it was acted out.

'The best way to diffuse the situation is to make fun of a funny situation,' Mourinho said.

'Some newspapers do great with photoshop. Now they don’t need photoshop. They have the real pic.'

Tricky decision: Samuel Eto'o rounded keeper Lloris but when he went down no foul was given

Tricky decision: Samuel Eto'o rounded keeper Lloris but when he went down no foul was given

Down: The Chelsea striker was left sprawling and required several minutes of treatment

Down: The Chelsea striker was left sprawling and required several minutes of treatment