Mourinho: Ready reckoner

The question of whether Diego Costa leads the Chelsea attack for the first time in a game at Old Trafford is a straight-forward one reportsJose Mourinho as Sunday’s big match draws near.

If the Barclays Premier League’s joint topscorer is fit enough to take to the pitch then he will be selected. There will be no thought towards easing him back into action with an eye on the weeks ahead.

‘I don’t protect players before a Man United game, unless he cannot play,’ explains Mourinho.

‘If there is a chance of playing, Old Trafford is not the place to protect players, it is the place to put the players who want to play and are ready to play. If Diego is ready to play, he plays.

‘I still don’t know who is available,’ adds the manager, who on Friday rated Ramires and John Mikel Obi, along with Diego Costa, as having a small chance of returning for this weekend’s game.

‘Normally two days before the game I know the team, I have no doubts, everything is clear in my brain. Now I need a lot of talk and information to finally make a decision.’

Diego Costa’s presence will be determined by the final training session this afternoon [Saturday] at Cobham, immediately prior to the squad travelling north.

‘He has to train without limitation, do a complete training session with the other guys without protection,’ stipulates Mourinho, who believes it is far too early in the season for anyone to write off this Manchester United side as not serious competition.

‘Man United are in a fantastic positon. You are in a difficult position when you don’t have the funds to be behind the rebuilding of a team. When you have the funds you have to buy well and coach them well, and I know Louis [van Gaal] is capable of buying and coaching them well so they are fine.

‘But we are very confident about ourselves. I am not interested in thinking which team Man UnIted are going to play, who is playing and who isn't playing.’

The Blues head into the match 10 points ahead of the Old Trafford outfit and five in front of their local rivals City, the team we shared the spoils with on our last visit to Manchester. Mourinho has built a strong reputation for leading from the front at clubs where he has enjoyed successful league campaigns, the victories spanning four countries. It is a thought he ponders as he targets a third Premier League title.

‘I like to be top of the league, especially because it gives you a little space for a mistake. We can be 100 per cent sure we will leave Old Trafford top of the league and this is the only reason I like to be in that position.

‘When you win something and you come from behind to do it, obviously you deserve it but you always depend on other results.

‘When I was second with Inter and then we won a title it was because we won points but also because Sampdoria beat Roma, like last season when Man CIty came from behind to win the title because Chelsea beat Liverpool at Anfield. It is better to be top of the league and not to depend on other teams’ results - so it is a little advantage when you are top of the league.’