JOSE MOURINHO HAS praised his Chelsea players for their performance without Diego Costa in Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
Replacement Didier Drogba and substitute Loic Remy — along with Eden Hazard — found the net as the Blues comfortably saw off their London rivals to preserve a six-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
And Mourinho insists he was never worried by the absence of top scorer Costa — who missed out through suspension — because he trusted that the rest of his team would step up.
“Did you remember Diego Costa today? I didn’t,” said Mourinho.
“We need Diego Costa but our mentality is the right mentality. You don’t cry about it. You give responsibility to the others and they respond in the best way.”
Drogba stole the headlines in Costa’s absence, setting up Hazard for the opening goal and scoring the second himself, and Mourinho was full of praise for the veteran Ivorian. “It’s remarkable,” he added. “First of all he’s a team player, after that he’s one of these players with an old days mentality. He’s not selfish, not vain, a humble guy. He plays for the team, fights for the team. He’s fantastic.
“When he comes from the bench for the last couple of minutes because the team needs him, he does it with the same mentality as when he starts against Tottenham. Fantastic.
“He is going to finish his career at Chelsea and it looks to me like he will stay here doing other things.
“I played against him last year and I could feel the potential he still has, so I’m not surprised. I knew he would adapt very well to this important role in the team from a mental point of view.
“When he came here, he came here to stay. I think it will be his decision when to decide to stop as a player.”
