Intro:

With a match away to English Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday (21 September), Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said on Friday, "it's always a good time to play the big teams because against the big teams my job is easier".

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager:

"We don't play against them, we play against the other 19 teams, and for the title it's not just City, there are other teams obviously in this race. So this is not a situation of Chelsea or City, City or Chelsea."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager:

(Question: Is this a good time to play Manchester City)

"It's always a good time to play the big teams because against the big teams my job is easier, I don't need to motivate people, I don't need to ask people to be focussed. I like to play against the big teams because the big teams they make my work easier."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager:

(Question: How careful are you going to have to manage Diego Costa with this injury? N.B. The Spanish centre forward is currently unable to play more than one game a week due to a hamstring problem).

"He plays this game (then) he cannot play against Bolton... it's as simple as that."

(Question: Could he ideally do with a couple of weeks without playing?)

"Yes."

(Question: He's got to play (against City) presumably?)

"Yes. Yes."

SOUNDBITE (English) Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager:

(Question: Were you expecting to see Frank Lampard play in a Manchester City shirt this weekend and will that be strange for you?)

"No... no... it's football... it's football. I wouldn't imagine that if you ask me one, two, three, four, five years ago I wouldn't say so. Even a few months ago when he signed for the New York team I was not expecting that. But his decision, his life and my respect for that."