Chelsea striker Diego Costa is “privileged” to be one of the last first-team regulars to be dropped from the starting line-up, Blues manager Jose Mourinho said.
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Chelsea are now languishing down to the 14th spot in standings, with just four wins from the 14 games which they have played.
In this noon kickoff in gray, gloomy conditions, matching the frenzied drama of Tottenham’s 5-3 win against Chelsea here on New Year’s Day rarely looked likely. “I am happy with my decision and the players.”, he continued.
“I am very proud because we showed a very mature performance, like at Qarabag”.
“Diego is very privileged because he was the last one to be on the bench”, Mourinho told reporters after the game.
“I was looking for the victor, but without him”, said Mourinho, who sent on Kenedy and Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the dying moments of the match. I just want them to be mentally ready to play for when we need them. Eden [Hazard] was kicked, he had some falls, but he was so risky I didn’t want to change the team. “I am convinced at the end of December we will be in a different position than we are now and shorten the distance to the top teams, and our feeling will be different”.
Mousa Dembele says Tottenham are confident they can beat any team in the Premier League, revealing that he and his team-mates are aiming to win the title.
Yet it is Arsenal sitting fourth in the Premier League – only two points behind front-runners Manchester City and Leicester – and Chelsea is 12 points further back in 14th place. “Mentally, I’ve always been really strong”. “When we play as a team and when, especially, we defend as a team, the team is much better”. Although disappointed he did not score, Hazard was pleased with the point against their local rivals who are unbeaten in 13 league games. Though dynamic across the field, it took Hazard until the 68th minute to register his team’s first – and only – shot on target when his volley was kept out by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ diving one-handed save.
“It is hard to play against them but we were comfortable with the ball and we had our chances, which is not easy to create against them”.
“I never talk about where we will finish”.
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Pochettino added of Ryan Mason, who went off injured: “We will assess him tomorrow and we will see, but we hope that it’s not a big issue”.
