Jose Mourinho worried about eight-point gap to Manchester City

Sunday 5 November 2017 19:59, UK

Jose Mourinho admitted he is worried about the eight-point gap to Manchester City but feels there is plenty to be positive about ahead of the Christmas period.

Alvaro Morata's 55th-minute header sealed a 1-0 win for Chelsea over Manchester United, which has put City firmly in control of the Premier League title race going into the international break.

City beat Arsenal 3-1 earlier on Super Sunday and the title race has already taken a big swing to the blue side of Manchester despite the season only being 11 games old.

Mourinho acknowledged the challenge facing his team but pointed to the positives.

"We are worried, but there are 18 teams more worried than us because we are second," he said.

"Eight points in the Premier League is not the same in Portugal, La Liga or the Bundesliga. Yes, it is eight points but there is still a lot of play. I hope, feel, think and wish that in the busy festive period and new year we are going to be at maximum strength with Paul Pogba, Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo back."

After Chelsea took the lead, United's response was limited until the final stages when substitute Marouane Fellaini started to cause problems. He had a late effort saved by Thibaut Courtois but apart from that, United rarely looked capable of nicking a late equaliser.

Despite Chelsea creating the better chances, Mourinho thought the game was an even contest.

"I think they scored in the only period they were on top in the game but apart from, that the game was even," Mourinho said.

"The game was controlled by us and the game was controlled by them. We had chances and they had chances and with the first goal they found themselves winning and were able to bring more people to defend but, even so, knowing they can defend with a lot of people.

"We had a go, we tried to change the direction of our game. We created chances to equalise but we couldn't."