Saturday 29 November 2014 09:42, UK
Jose Mourinho has dismissed the possibility of complacency creeping in against Sunderland as runaway leaders Chelsea prepare to face the side that ended their 77-game unbeaten home run.
Chelsea are six points clear at the top of the Premier League table after 12 games and are unbeaten in 19 matches in all competitions this season.
Mourinho's side beat Schalke 5-0 on Tuesday night to advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League and travel to Sunderland seeking to consolidate their position at the top of the standings.
Complacency is not a profile of this group. We have all the other risks... injuries, unlucky matches, other teams growing up and becoming stronger.
It was Gus Poyet's side who ended Mourinho's 77-game unbeaten home Premier League run in April in a bad-tempered meeting which remains Chelsea's most recent domestic defeat.
Chelsea are widely tipped to romp away with the title, but Mourinho is adamant his squad will not get ahead of themselves. "Complacency is not a risk we have," he said.
"It's not a profile of this group in this moment. We have all the other risks. The risks that belong to football - the risk of a bad period, injuries, unlucky matches, other teams growing up and becoming stronger.
"We were winning 5-0 against Schalke and in minute 88 Eden Hazard made a sprint to defend. There was a clear evolution and I don't think the group as a group can be complacent."
And Mourinho denied complacency was a factor in the loss to Sunderland, which prompted an irate response from the Chelsea boss and his assistant Rui Faria, who was issued with a six-match stadium ban for criticising match officials.
"I don't call that complacency. I call that other things. Lots of water passed already under the bridge," said. "That match was impossible to win. But we move on."
Chelsea were linked with a move for Barcelona's Lionel Messi this week but Mourinho has dismissed it out of hand.
"In this moment it's so easy to have non-truths circulating, it's so easy that some people put news without confirming it. Obviously, it's not true."
Honours
Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard have impressed this season and been nominated for FIFA's team of the year, but the Portuguese values collective honours ahead of individual awards.
"I think these kind of trophies are not good for football," he said. "Sometimes it looks like we're looking for stars. We're looking for people more important than other people and this is not the culture we want in this club.
"The mentality here is not to be worried with that. And when I see Fabregas and Hazard, I think clearly they don't think about it. Clearly they think about the team, playing well and trying to win matches."
Watch Sunderland host Chelsea on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports 1HD from 4.45
