Gary Neville
Football Expert @GNev2
Gary Neville: Don't write Chelsea off, they've got Jose Mourinho
Gary Neville says Chelsea can't be written off under Jose Mourinho after the win over Liverpool.
Last Updated: 29/12/13 8:42pm
The Blues are now just two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal after their 2-1 win over Liverpool at Stamford Bridge; whilst Liverpool, who were top on Christmas Day, slip to fifth.
Sky Sports expert Gary Neville, who commentated on the Super Sunday fixture, believes Chelsea could be written off as champions if they didn't have Mourinho at their helm.
Neville said: "They've done well to be where they are. I think that City are still the ones to watch. I think Mourinho is big factor here for Chelsea and if they didn't have him I would write them off."
"I don't think they're good enough in terms of centre-forwards but you saw their mentality today. They've beaten Manchester City - they probably didn't deserve to win that match but I think they probably deserved to win today.
"I thought the first-half was the best I've seen Chelsea play - they were fantastic. The second-half towards the end when Luiz is booting that ball up in to the air, they're winning free-kicks in the corner; that know-how and experience there's players that know how to win trophies and they've got a manager who has been around the block."
Blood and thunder
The final game of the Premier League in this calendar year certainly ended 2013 on a high with fast-paced action, three penalty claims and plenty of player scuffles across the pitch. Neville watched in awe as the crowd in West London and watching on Sky Sports were entertained for 90 minutes with great football and the jester, Mourinho, on the side lines.
"The intensity never dropped. Sometimes up in the commentary box you do games and you don't have time to breathe and it just felt like one of those days," added Neville.
"It was exhilarating to watch first minute to 90 minutes it absolutely felt frantic and blood and thunder all the way through, incidents all the time that kept the crowd involved.
"It was brilliant match and one thing about Jose Mourinho is that he pays respect to English football. Even when he went to Spain and to Italy you always had that feeling he liked English football and we're certainly better off for having him because we need characters and there's not many characters left."
What did you make of the game at Stamford Bridge? And can Jose Mourinho steer Chelsea to Premier League glory? Leave your comments below to get involved with the debate.