JOSE MOURINHO HAS accused the media of double standards in its praise for Antonio Conte’s Chelsea team compared to his own.
The Manchester United manager claims the style of play he employed at Stamford Bridge was criticised despite being similar to that which has been employed by Conte with the Blues this season.
Mourinho did admit, however, that the 18 points that separate the Red Devils and his former club was evidence of the large gulf that currently exists between the two sides.
Asked how far away United were from being the best team in the country, the Portuguese told Sky Sports: “Far… because the best team, in the Premier League, is the team with more points.
“I know you like to criticise me. When I was winning titles with Chelsea you were criticising the style of play. At the moment you don’t do it. Now, to be the best counter-attacking team in the country is not to be criticised; it is an amazing thing.
“The best team at the end of the season is the one who is champions and we are far from it. This season Chelsea are a much better team than us.”
Mourinho even conceded that Chelsea have a distinct edge in Sunday’s meeting between the two clubs as a result of their lack of midweek European commitments.
“It’s a bit difficult, especially for some players,” he said. “I think for some of the boys it is not a big problem to play match after match with two days’ difference. For some others it is more difficult — their nature, their ages, their DNA. It is not so easy.
“We have important injuries and we do not have so many players to rotate. In some positions we have no choice. Of course, [Chelsea] are much better prepared for the game than us.
“We don’t train. We recover from matches. We try to give the players the best conditions to recover but, honestly, on the pitch there are no conditions to work. We analyse matches, we analyse opponents but to work on the pitch, with dynamism and intensity, at this moment is impossible.”
