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Premier League: Jose Mourinho happy to face mentor Louis van Gaal as Chelsea go to Manchester United

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho speaks to the press during a Chelsea Press Conference at Chelsea Training Ground on October 24
Image: Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is ready to face mentor Louis van Gaal

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is looking forward to facing former mentor Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Premier League leaders' trip to face Manchester United will only be the second competitive fixture between Mourinho and Van Gaal.

The pair met in the 2010 Champions League final, with Mourinho's Inter Milan beating Van Gaal's Bayern Munich 2-0.

Mourinho, who was the Dutchman's assistant at Barcelona, said: "I don't play against Louis.

Everybody knows the respect I have for him. I never hide the respect, the relationship and the fact he was an important influence in my career.
Jose Mourinho to face Louis van Gaal

"Chelsea plays against Man United. As a young coach to be working four consecutive years - one with Mr (Bobby) Robson, three with Louis - at a club like Barcelona was very important.

"It's not the moment for that. Everybody knows the respect I have for him. I never hide the respect, the relationship and the fact he was an important influence in my career.

"But, please, he's going to be my opponent, so don't make me speak for half an hour good about him.

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"He knows what I feel about him. The world knows, because I never hide. What can I add? I have nothing to add.

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"We go to every match to win," Mourinho added. 

"Sometimes matches go in one direction where in a pragmatic way you feel that one point becomes a good result.

"Sunday we go to win. If you give me now one point and I don't go and I don't play, I don't accept the point you give me. I want to fight for the three points."

Mourinho believes United remain a difficult opponent despite the recent problems at Old Trafford.

He said: "For me it doesn't matter the manager, the moment, the table, the players - Man United is Man United and I always look at them independent of these factors.

"I like to play big matches, I like to play against the best teams. I like to play in the most difficult stadiums.

"I know the risk of not getting a good result is bigger in big matches. But I always like.

"For me to go to Old Trafford - I did it with four different clubs, with Porto, with Inter, with Real Madrid and with Chelsea - I like to go there, I like to play there."

Watch Manchester United v Chelsea live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm on Sunday

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