Mourinho says current Chelsea side have potential to be better than his title winners

Jose Mourinho says his current Chelsea side have the potential to surpass the team he built and led to back-to-back Premier League titles during his first reign.

The Blues face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday lunchtime and Mourinho’s table-toppers could go 15 points clear of the Reds after just 11 games.

“The other team won titles, won everything – not just with me but after me with the same basic team. They were European champions,” Mourinho said.

“This team is a good team that plays well and has conditions and evolutions to keep going and get better than the previous team. But the reality is this team has done nothing yet.”

Mourinho’s first spell in charge saw him guide the club to domestic titles in 2004/05 and 2005/06, as well as the League Cup in 2005 and 2007 and FA Cup in 2007.

The Blues will face Liverpool having had 24 hours less to prepare than their hosts.

Chelsea played out a 1-1 Champions League draw in Slovenia against Maribor on Wednesday, while Liverpool opted to rest several key players for their 1-0 away defeat against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

“We will be mentally right, even if physically the players could have a problem. But mentally is more important (than physically). We have to be ready for it,” said Mourinho, who also insisted he will be looking for a win and not playing for a draw.

“Our intention is to win. When we have the ball, we want to try to score and when they have the ball we have to try to stop them.

“It is the ABC of football.  I will do this to my last day.”

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