Chelsea supremo Jose Mourinho called a press conference yesterday to deliver his opinion on the apparent preferential treatment awarded to a particular team in the Premiership. 'It is unjust and has been for some time' he declared. 'When I came to this country, it became quite clear that there was a team who could operate outside the rules - a team who's high position and even higher arrogance was easily seen to be based upon the unfair advantage they enjoyed over the rest of the league.'

Asked whether Chelsea would make a formal complaint to the FA regarding Manchester United receiving these perceived sympathetic decisions, Mourinho replied 'Who said anything about Manchester United? I was talking about Chelsea and our financial position. I was thinking of making a £40 million bid for Neil Shipperley…what do you think?'