Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho signs new 4-year contract with Premier League

The evidence of pre-season, however, has been that Chelsea s attacking options appear under-powered compared to their main rivals and while Mourinho has not ruled out the possibility of Costa facing Swansea when the champions return to action at Stamford Bridge, the chances appear slim.

He added: “The biggest advantage is for them to think together and say together: ‘My club and my manager trust me so much. That’s important as well – that we develop what we do well and do not stand still”.

“We feel we have the tools to improve our team without that (£60-70m player)”.

Manchester City gave manager Manuel Pellegrini a vote of confidence on the eve of the new season on Saturday (AEST) by extending his contract for two more years. “He came back in good shape and should be available to play in 10 days”.

The Blues figure to be in contention for the Premier League title as long as their boss is around, and they have assembled the pieces necessary for Mourinho to work with.

“Chelsea won it by a margin last year so they must be favourites”. “When there is an accumulation of mistakes like we had last season I’m sorry, I find it hard to accept. He will get games here”.

Wenger will be without Alexis Sanchez for Arsenal’s opener against the Hammers on Sunday following the Chilean’s exploits at this summer’s Copa America.

Costa, Mourinho’s star striker, and Loic Remy, Mourinho’s second or sometimes third-choice striker, are both known to be injury-prone, so it seems that when these players can’t be counted on, Mourinho will have to rely on Falcao to step up. Martinez just needs to shut up and accept our bids.

Jose Mourinho’s men played some frankly dire football towards the end of the year.

Although Wenger was in a positive mood ahead of the new campaign, he took a swipe at the decision to start this season’s Premier League one week earlier.

“The fact we are going to have four weeks only with one match per week has the negative side of it, but the positive side of it is that you can have complete weeks to prepare properly”.

“I don’t know. I promise you, I don’t know, ” Mourinho said.

After nearly two months of frenzied buying, plotting, postulations and rumours, the English Premier League is back, with all the excitement, tensions, promos (on the Nigerian side), bettings (still on us) and continuous debates over who will lift the trophy, who will be relegated and who will make it back to Europe again (after being knocked out this time).