Jose Mourinho: Blues still team to beat

Jose Mourinho believes former club Chelsea remain Premier League favourites despite Antonio Conte struggling in some areas, the ongoing Diego Costa debacle, and their chastening opening-weekend defeat.

Hope brought by the start of a new season is underpinned by expectation at Stamford Bridge after the Italian led the Blues to the title in his first season at the helm.

Conte’s achievements were all the more impressive given the previous campaign’s atrocious title defence brought Mourinho’s second spell at the Stamford Bridge halt to an unceremonious halt.