Mourinho refuses to blame Inter rumours

Jose Mourinho insists Chelsea’s third defeat of the Premiership season had nothing to do with doubts about his own future.

The Blues were beaten 1-0 at Fulham yesterday in a west London derby packed with drama and controversy.

Mourinho was disappointed but did not think his players were distracted by reports that he was leaving for Inter Milan.

The Chelsea boss said: “I don’t think they were affected because they’ve known from me, several weeks ago, that I will stay here.

“I am preparing for pre-season. I have given them a lot of information about next season and about the plans I have for the team. They know I will stay here.”

Chelsea started badly at Fulham. Luis Boa Morte scored in the 17th minute and Mourinho made two changes midway through the first half in a bid to shake his team into life.

Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips were replaced by Didier Drogba and Damien Duff.

Mourinho said: “We started very slowly. They had more intensity than us. They deserved to be in front.

“We normally react when we concede an early goal but I was watching minute after minute and there were no changes in intensity or pace or dynamics.

“I had to do something, to bring something to the game. I’m happy with the change, with what Drogba and Duff brought to the game.

“The team improved a lot but we couldn’t change the result.”

William Gallas was sent off for a nasty tackle on Heidar Helguson in the dying minutes, Chelsea’s third red card in six games.

The French defender, who wound up Fulham fans with several thumbs-down gestures as he walked to the dressing room, may have to explain his antics to the Football Association.

Mourinho could also be in trouble with the FA after comments he made about a second-half “goal” by Drogba which was ruled out for handball.

Referee Mike Dean appeared to give the goal initially but, under pressure from Fulham players, he consulted with his linesman and then disallowed it.

Television replays proved it was the right decision but Mourinho criticised Dean’s indecision and claimed Chelsea were governed by different rules to the rest of football.

The win came as a welcome relief for Fulham boss Chris Coleman who had seen his team slip towards relegation trouble with four straight defeats amid whispers he had lost the support of his dressing room.

Coleman sarcastically said: “You could see with that performance that I’ve completely lost the dressing room.

“They were brilliant and the performance couldn’t have come at a better time. It was by far the best result of my career as a manager.

“Three points against anybody would have been sweet but for it to come against Chelsea, the champions, in a local derby was fantastic.

“The chairman has only ever been 100 per cent supportive and the players have remained together.

“The only way we can show people is to come out and play like that.”