Mourinho has rare praise for rival Ranieri

On Monday, Chelsea play top team Leicester City who claimed their ninth league victory in their last outing and are two points clear of second-placed Arsenal.

The now-Coventry man has watched the Blues’ struggles from afar this season, but believes “best manager in the world” Mourinho can turn the season around. Their [Costa and Hazard] performance against Porto was very good, at this moment I’m not as anxious as I was.

The London club will now attempt to build on that success when they take on surprise league leaders Leicester City on Monday.

The striker, who recently broke the Premier League scoring record when he found the next for an 11th successive game against Manchester United, helped one lucky charity supporter to a £10,000 Christmas bonus. “While it is mathematical possible we try”.

But with 14 points separating them from the Champions League qualification places, the manager’s belief that his side are back on track must be justified soon if they are to launch a charge up the table.

“Maybe we have a chance to dream with a great finish and finish fourth”.

“Overall over the last month I think we are improving – against Tottenham and Porto – it is not just little moments”.

Jamie Vardy has been in excellent form for Leicester this season.

“If they resist and get result after result it is because they can win the title”.

“I told you a lot of times – it is not important how you score, it is important that the team scores”. We have the same manager, the same players, so if you are where we are it is because we are underperforming.

While Manchester United fans have been critical of Louis van Gaal’s slow build-up play and boring style of football this season, they put up with it as long as the results were going their way.

“Everyone expects them to win every game but we’re full of confidence and we should be looking to get a win”.

“We need to work very, very hard and much more hard in the Premier League than in the Champions League”.

– Chelsea have won the last six Premier League meetings with Leicester City.

The 52-year-old also revealed the names of the players he thinks have underperformed this season.