Jose Mourinho says he believes Liverpool were everyone's favourites to win the Premier League last season, until Chelsea's refused to play their part as 'clowns at the circus' and ruined the day.
Brendan Rodgers' were leading the Premier League ahead of the visit of the Blues, but lost 2-0 after a Steven Gerrard mistake.
And Mourinho, speaking to Gary Neville in the Telegraph, says he told his players that they 'were to be clowns this is the circus' to fire them up at Anfield.
'I felt during part of last season that the country wanted Liverpool to be champion,' he said.
'The media, the press: a lot was to put Liverpool there. Nobody was saying they were in a privileged situation because they didn't play Champions League.
'Nobody was speaking about a lot, a lot of decisions that helped them win important and crucial points. And I felt that day was a day that was ready for their celebration.
'I used the word with my players. I said we are going to be the clowns, they want us to be the clowns in the circus. The circus is here. Liverpool are to be champions.'
Mourinho wasn't having that, and was further fired up when he found out that Liverpool had refused to move the game.
Chelsea were due to play in the Champions League the following Wednesday and wanted to play Liverpool on Saturday, but were told that they could not re-arrange the fixutre.
Mourinho says that when he found out that it was Chelsea's opponents, rather than Sky, who insisted the game was on Sunday, it gave his team extra spirit.
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agosti 8 Ntuzu Malafyale