Duff delivers as Chelsea edge out battling Villa
The free-scoring Premiership leaders were frustrated by Villa for large parts of a tight Stamford Bridge game but a single goal from Damien Duff proved enough for victory.
Chelsea, who top the table by five points, had hammered Norwich 4-0 in their previous game but Villa, despite missing several regulars, proved more stubborn opposition.
Mourinho was impressed by the visitors and said: “They were without some important players and I think they did a great job. We had a lot of chances to score more goals but couldn’t do it and in the last 10-15 minutes they felt they had an opportunity.
“Their manager is very good and he made changes that made me think. He pushed me to make changes that I would not normally make, but I also have to credit my players for their hard work. When you are fighting to be champions you need to fight with your sleeves up to get points.
“We did that so I am really happy with the players.”
Chelsea had scored 10 goals in their three previous games but Mourinho was happy with just one and the three points yesterday. The former Porto boss withdrew Duff and Arjen Robben late on to protect the 1-0 victory.
He added: “We try to play good football and score goals. I can understand the supporters want to see Duff and Robben on the pitch and scoring goals. But we won 1-0 in a difficult situation, playing with heart and taking the points.
“Everyone speaks about the goals but there are also the clean sheets.”Chelsea travel to Portsmouth tomorrow whilst Villa face another tough test against Manchester United at home.
Villa have collected just one point from their last five games but boss David O’Leary was happy with the performance considering his side’s injury problems.
O’Leary said: “No matter what team we have out we try to play and give it a go and if you take the goal away there wasn’t much in it.
“We tried to cause them a few problems and we did cause them some but they got the goal on the breakaway. When you come to places like this you have got to have your best team out but we did not come here to sit back.
“We had a system and are playing good football. We are doing the best we can with what we have got.
“We do not have that many injuries but our squad is small. If we had had one more injured we would only have had four on the bench.”
O’Leary’s side did work hard but Chelsea’s defence have proved almost impenetrable this season. The Blues have conceded just eight goals in their 19 games and O’Leary admitted he was impressed.
He said: “Every successful side has a successful goalkeeper and back four. They have got that and are tremendous. They are right up there with a chance in the Champions League and in the league as well.
“Their system is a great system to play and it must be absolutely fantastic dealing with players of such quality as Duff and Robben.”
: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Tiago, Duff (Smertin 80), Gudjohnsen (Drogba 66), Robben (Johnson 90).
: Sorensen, De la Cruz, Mellberg, Delaney (Solano 45), Ridgewell, Barry, Hendrie (Luke Moore 80), Davis, Berson, Whittingham, Angel.
: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
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