Jose Mourinho makes SHOCK claim ahead of Manchester United's clash with Chelsea

JOSE MOURINHO has made the shock claim that today’s game between Manchester United and Chelsea is NOT the big one in his eyes.

Posted Sunday, February 25, 2018 by Dailystar.co.uk

The United boss admits that the visit of Liverpool on March 10 is a more significant fixture than the game at Old Trafford against Antonio Conte’s Blues.

In fact, Mourinho describes the showdown against his former club as a “normal game”.

That is despite the two Premier League heavyweights slugging it out for Champions League qualification, as well as his own bitter public feud this season with Chelsea boss Conte – an issue neither he nor United wanted discussed ahead of what is still a potentially explosive situation.

Many people view the clash as a bigger game than today’s Carabao Cup Final at Wembley between Manchester City and Arsenal.

But Mourinho said: “It’s a normal game. “To play Liverpool in a couple of weeks probably means more because for my club and my club’s supporters, playing Liverpool has a special meaning.

"My club is the most important thing – it’s not me. That’s the way I have to look at things. I don’t have any bad feeling towards Chelsea to say, ‘I’m playing against my former club and I am going to prove this and I’m going to prove that’.

"I have nothing to prove. I have good feelings towards all the clubs I have managed whether the decision to leave was mine or the board’s – and the only place where that happened was Chelsea. So when I play against them, the feeling is just a good one – not a special feeling.

"But I’m not saying playing Liverpool is more important, because it is still a case of three points being at stake.

"What I am saying is that, for the fans, there is that extra adrenaline when it is Liverpool, rather than Chelsea.”

Mourinho also admits his former club will be a tough proposition for his current team, with attacking talents Eden Hazard and Willian posing a particular threat.

Last season, the United boss successfully employed Ander Herrera to man-mark Belgium star Hazard.

But midfielder Herrera is not available through injury after being forced off after just 17 minutes of Manchester United’s Champions League first leg against Sevilla in midweek.

Jose Mourinho makes SHOCK claim ahead of Manchester United's clash with Chelsea
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho mad a shock claim

Mourinho said: “With the players we had available, we had to go for a certain strategy, where we felt it was important to do that job on Eden.

"Ander did an amazing job but there are different matches with different circumstances and different players.

"In that match, Hazard was playing with Diego Costa as the No.9.

"In this match, I don’t know what Chelsea are going to do.

"In their last match against Barcelona, Hazard played as their most offensive player. But he is a player who is very difficult to neutralise.

"Of course he is a very important player for them but Willian is very important for them too.”

And Mourinho does not subscribe to the view that this is a good time to play the Premier League champions, who have not matched their consistency of last season.

The United boss said: “In their last match, they were leading and nearly beat the team most people agree is the best in Europe – Barcelona. So no, I don’t think Chelsea are in bad form.”

Mourinho is in a calm, relaxed mood ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated games of the season.

And he is expected to restore record-signing Paul Pogba to the starting line-up after the star’s dip in form.

Jose Mourinho makes SHOCK claim ahead of Manchester United's clash with Chelsea
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has had a few clashes with Chelsea's Antonio Conte

That has seen the Frenchman,24, dropped, subbed and on the bench in recent weeks.

Pogba also missed last weekend’s FA Cup win at Huddersfield through illness.

But Mourinho was delighted with the player’s professionalism and response when he was brought on as an early substitute for Herrera in the draw with Sevilla.