Blue is the colour

THEN we meet up, Jason McAteer might be wearing the red tie of his former club but he’s singing the blues when it comes to picking the likely winners of the 2012/13 Premier League.

“Chelsea are the real contenders for me – because of Jose Mourinho,” says the one-time Ireland and Liverpool midfielder on a visit to Dublin. “He’s got this real love affair with Chelsea and I’m a big fan of him. The Premier League needs characters and Mourinho is one. As is Ian Holloway at the other end of the table. People like them bring life to the Premier League. So it’s great that Mourinho is back. And, mainly because of him, Chelsea are my favourites for the title.”

The west Londoners’ main challenge, reckons McAteer, will come from Manchester – but not from the champions