Football. Liverpool can win the Premier League this season

The Chelsea manager maintains Brendan Rodgers' men have the edge with no European fixtures but admits Manchester City are favourites this term
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Liverpool can win the Premier League this season.

Brendan Rodgers’ men sit current sit fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Arsenal, but Mourinho, whose side host Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, claims the club’s lack of European football is a significant advantage in the title race.

“I know Brendan has said they can’t win the title, that seventh to first has never happened, but I think they can,” Mourinho told reporters.

“Because they are good; because Brendan is good; because they have time to prepare the team tactically; because they are not involved in the heat of the knock-out situation in the Champions League or even the Europa League.

“My players are going to play 60 matches. Liverpool will play 40 matches. It’s a big difference. When you add quality plus ambition plus this advantage, yes, they can win it.”

Mourinho backs Manchester City as favourites for the title this term and has played down the chances of Chelsea and Arsenal finishing ahead of Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

“At this moment, everybody’s there. It’s Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and City in the top four,” Mourinho added.

“This year the pressure will be not just to win the title, but to get top four. I think it’ll be hard.

“If I have to say, and I know you’d like me to say, Manchester City are the big, big, big favourites.

“Liverpool are on holidays for the whole season, one week to prepare a match, play the match, one more week to prepare the next match, which is an unbelievable advantage.

“And Manchester United, in spite of being a few points behind, are the reality of the last years.

“Leave us there, behind them. We’ll try and do our job and finish top four.

“Arsenal are like us. They play in the Champions League. They are trying to improve from the last few years. For many years they’ve not been at the top of the league.

“Chelsea were 25 and 14 points off the leaders in the last two years. For us and Arsenal we have to try and do our best.”