No catching us now, says Mourinho

Chelsea 2 Birmingham 0

Mourinho's side briefly enjoyed a 14-point lead at the top thanks to their 2-0 win over struggling Birmingham at Stamford Bridge.

Later wins for Manchester United and Liverpool reduced the gap to its original 11-point margin, a gulf even Mourinho now believes is virtually impossible for them to throw away.

Their win over Birmingham, sealed by first-half goals from Hernan Crespo and Arjen Robben, took the total number of points won in the calendar year to an incredible 101. It capped a glorious year which saw Chelsea win their first top-flight title for 50 years as well as the Carling Cup.

"One hundred and one points for the Premiership in 2005 is an unbelievable record," he said. "No defeats at home and a lot of victories. This half of the season is better than last season and so 2005 has been an unbelievable year for Chelsea.

"We had quite a few disappointments - the Champions League, defeat by Charlton in the Carling Cup and Newcastle in the FA Cup as well as defeat away to Real Betis this season, but overall it's been fantastic."While Mourinho can look back with pleasure on the last 12 months, he refuses to believe the title race is effectively over.

Liverpool could, providing they win both games in hand, close the gap but even then it would take a sensational collapse by the champions for them to miss out on back-to-back titles.

"I don't believe we are going to lose or draw a lot and I believe the team is very strong. It is very difficult for them to catch us," Mourinho said.

German defender Robert Huth and England's Wayne Bridge had their hopes of loan moves dashed by Mourinho, who replied with an emphatic 'No' when asked if any players would be allowed to gain first-team experience elsewhere ahead of next summer's World Cup.

The contrast in fortunes for Mourinho and his Birmingham counterpart Steve Bruce could not have been greater as the new year dawned.

While Mourinho is facing the prospect of a titanic Champions League clash with Barcelona, Bruce was in the midst of a relegation battle that could decide his managerial future are the club. An injury to Matthew Upson in the opening 10 minutes of their clash with Chelsea took the number of walking wounded at St Andrews to eight and that, insists Bruce, is not helping their cause.

"I still think we can stay in this division," declared Bruce. "We are not adrift and we are capable of winning 17 games. I need to get the injured players on the pitch because we are running out of time. The players have stuck at it and been terrific. They put on a hell of a show against Manchester United in midweek. It was the best we've played for a long, long time.

"To ask the same players to go and repeat that against Chelsea is impossible. In an ideal world I would have changed four or five, but not with the injuries we've got."

Bruce knows a thing or two about winning titles - he was part of the Manchester United side that won back-to-back titles in the 1990s, and they are the only team to have achieved such a feat since the Premiership's inception.

Bruce accepts winning the title for a second time is the hardest feat of all but feels Chelsea have all the credentials to achieve it.

"I was fortunate enough to play for a United team in 1994 which I thought was a little bit invincible," he said. "But Chelsea are formidable, they've got such strength and top players everywhere you look as well as a manager who knows how to handle them and get the best from them.

"To win back-to-back titles is always the most difficult thing to achieve because you've done it once, got the t-shirt and then you've got to go and do it again. With Manchester United re-building and Arsenal looking as though they are doing the same, Chelsea will take some catching."

The champions were easy winners with Crespo putting them ahead for close range in the 25th minute and Robben scoring the second three minutes before the break.

Crespo should have had a hat-trick but hit the bar, forced Maik Taylor into two great saves and squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to put Chelsea two-up.

Opta Fact: Hernan Crespo has scored six goals from 13 shots on target this season.

Opta Fact: The Blues have kept seven clean sheets in their last eight Premiership games.