José Mourinho has claimed Newcastle United raise their game specifically for contests against Chelsea and, as with other Premier League sides, treat other opponents “like they’re playing friendlies” as the Portuguese prepares for an awkward occasion at St James’ Park.
The league leaders travel to the north-east for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off unbeaten this season and hoping to set a club record by extending their undefeated run to 24 games, though Mourinho is braced for a stern test. He has never won a league game on Tyneside – his only two victories in seven visits were reserved for the League Cup – and will be without the previously ever-present Nemanja Matic, who is serving a one-match suspension.
“There are a few stadiums in this country where clearly, when they see the Chelsea shirts, they play the game of their lives,” said Mourinho. “When they play against other teams they look like they’re playing friendlies. Maybe this is because Chelsea, in the last decade, became a strong team that everybody wants to beat.”
Newcastle have not won a league game against the current top seven so far this season but did beat Liverpool at home and triumphed at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, in the League Cup. Asked whether that merely suggested Alan Pardew’s team were guilty of nothing more than inconsistency, Mourinho said: “Not against us. It’s a compliment. It makes us feel how big we are. It’s a normal challenge: a difficult opponent and stadium, and one of the teams we really feel [consider] Chelsea to be special for them because they don’t play every game the same way.
“It’s not only them. There are other clubs who have different ways of playing. That is something that, with Chelsea, I try not to do. With my players, I try to make them have always the same focus, ambition and commitment whoever they play against. But clearly there are some opponents in the Premier League for whom Chelsea are special, so we know this is going to be a tough match.” Asked which other rival clubs raised their game just for collisions with his team, the manager said: “Watch matches on television and make your own analysis. Or disagree with me.”
His charges were defeated 2-0 in the league at St James’ Park last season having missed a glut of first-half opportunities, Yoan Gouffran and Loïc Rémy – now a Chelsea player – taking advantage with late and decisive goals. Diego Costa will return to the visitors’ starting lineup after serving his own suspension in midweek, with Mourinho to choose between Mikel John Obi and Ramires to replace Matic. Both midfielders have been on the fringe to date this term, though Chelsea will resist any attempts by suitors to prise them away next month.
“We played well at Newcastle last season but missed so many chances,” added Mourinho. “We lost other matches last season where we clearly did nothing to win: at Crystal Palace we did nothing to win. Newcastle was not one of these matches. But last season was last season. It’s a big club. I knew that ever since I worked with Mr [Bobby] Robson. People there live for football, for the club, for the moment. They have a match at home, big passion, big club, and it’s unbelievable they don’t have a trophy for so many years. But a big club and I like to play there. I like very much to play there.”