Jose Mourinho believes Manchester City, not Arsenal, offer greatest challenge to Chelsea title hopes

Chelsea manager says he and Gunners rival have forgotten how to win league

Simon Johnson
Tuesday 03 December 2013 21:00 EST
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Jose Mourinho believes Manchester City pose more of a title threat than the Premier League leaders Arsenal.

His Chelsea team currently sit second in the table, four points behind Arsenal, and though City are a further two points adrift in third and lost at Stamford Bridge in October, Mourinho says: "If you ask me which team has more ammunition, I have to try and be honest. I have to apologise to the other contenders in case they're not happy with what I say, but City are the team with more ammunition.

"The squad is absolutely amazing. They have solutions and solutions and solutions. They don't have old players or very young players. You see all of them, players with big maturity and experience.

"Am I surprised we're ahead of them? That's football. But yes, I think they are a team able to make a run of victories."

All three teams continue their title push, with Arsenal at home to Liverpool's weekend conquerors Hull City, Chelsea travelling to improving Sunderland and City at West Bromwich.

But when it comes to winning the Premier League, Mourinho doesn't think the fact that he has experienced it, in 2005 and 2006, and so has Arsenal's manager Arsène Wenger, in 1998, 2002 and 2004, gives them an advantage over anyone else, including City's Manuel Pellegrini in his first season in England.

Mourinho added: "He's [Wenger] like me. It's been a long time. We've forgotten how. It was so long ago. Probably one of the others will do it for the first time."

Meanwhile, Vincent Kompany is back to strengthen City's defence having been sidelined with a thigh injury since the win over Everton at the start of October.

With his side seeking only their second away win of the season at the Hawthorns, Pellegrini acknowledged the return of his captain and one of the side's most influential players is a boost, but says the central defender's absence is not the reason they have picked up so few points on the road.

"Vincent is a very important player. He is a very good defender and, of course, we need him," said Pellegrini. "We have other captains but all the team is happy with the return of the captain. But I repeat, we don't have as many problems in defending as the scores say and the results say."

Elsewhere, seventh-placed Southampton are looking to recover from successive defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea at home to Aston Villa, while Stoke entertain Cardiff after their 4-0 defeat at Everton.

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