We're going to win the league - Mourinho

Jose Mourinho finally predicted today that his Chelsea side would become the club’s first champions for 50 years.

On the day Mourinho was hit with a charge of improper conduct for claiming Manchester United’s players cheated in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final at Stamford Bridge, the Chelsea manager claimed for the first time that the title was theirs for the taking.

Chelsea, 10 points clear of nearest rivals and reigning champions Arsenal, are odds-on favourites to win the Barclays Premiership and now Mourinho agrees with the bookies.

The Blues need to win 11 of their remaining games to walk off with their first title since 1955.

Mourinho said: “I think we will win the league, I think so.

“At this moment it is easier to win the league than the Champions League or even the FA Cup.

“When you have a lead of 10 points, it is easier than the start of the season when everybody has the same points.

“It will still be difficult because we have to win 11 matches. But my players are very committed, it is like a crusade to win something.

“They don’t need me to motivate them now. They have their own self-belief and are very, very strong. The mental side is always very important.”

Mourinho maintains he is not bothered by predictions from Old Trafford and Highbury that Chelsea will have a blip in their exceptional season.

Arsene Wenger has suggested Chelsea do not have the flair which his unbeaten Arsenal team demonstrated last season but Mourinho is adamant that his side have been the most exciting to watch this season.

He also forcefully points out that Chelsea have risen to the challenge every time their critics have expected them to fail.

Mourinho added: “We are the most exciting team in the Premiership. Nobody plays better than us.

“I think Arsenal had a beautiful start and Manchester United are having a very good period. In the last two months, they have been fantastic.

“But I think over the six months of competition, we are the best side. That’s why we are where we are.

“I do not know what flair is in football. It is difficult for me to understand. For me, winning 5-4 is not flair, it is hockey, it is not football. For me flair is a team that defends fantastically well and a team that scores goals.

“If you look at the history of the season, at the start we were boring Chelsea, after that we could not score goals, then when Christmas arrived they said we would lose matches because Chelsea never win on Boxing Day.

“After that it was Chelsea have no chance of winning in the north and if we lose the Carling Cup semi-final the blip will start. When we lose a game, they say we will lose the next one.

“Everybody, week after week, are always speaking about us and trying to press us. I even read somewhere that such an important person in your country like Sir Bobby Charlton was saying that we will feel the power of Manchester United and we will not cope with it.

“The comments do not disturb us. If they really believe we are not strong enough to win the competition, they would not speak about us.

“Nobody spoke about Everton when they almost leading because every was thinking that while they have a very good team, they cannot win the league. Everybody thinks they will be fourth. Nobody spoke about them.

“They speak about us every week because they feel we can do it.”

Mourinho has until February 14 to respond to the FA charge and a Chelsea spokesman said: “We acknowledge receipt of the charge and it will be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”

Mourinho turns his attention to the FA Cup on Sunday with a fourth round tie against Birmingham at Stamford Bridge.

He announced that Eidur Gudjohnsen will replace Didier Drogba in attack and Carlo Cudicini will return in goal in place of Petr Cech. Glen Johnson will start at right-back in place of Paulo Ferreira.