Mourinho shrugs off 'boring Chelsea' taunts

LONDON - With Chelsea six points from their first Premier League title since 2010, manager Jose Mourinho happily turned a deaf ear to suggestions that his team are unloved by neutrals.

The London football club dazzled during the season's first half, putting several teams to the sword, but with the finishing line in sight, they have tightened up in trademark Mourinho fashion.

After a run of seven wins by a one-goal margin, they were taunted with chants of "Boring, boring Chelsea!" during Sunday's 0-0 draw at Arsenal.

But Mourinho said he did not care about the perception of his side.

"I have lots of love," he said in a mock-romantic voice. "If you tell the truth, people will fall in love with us. But you have to say the truth, and sometimes you don't.

"If you say the truth, we will walk in the street and people will throw kisses to us."

If Chelsea win at Leicester City tomorrow, they can secure the title with victory at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, and Mourinho believes his team will be worthy champions.

While Arsenal created better chances in the second half on Sunday, striker Olivier Giroud barely managed a kick, prompting Mourinho to pay an effusive tribute to his captain, John Terry.

"I told John Terry in the dressing room that he made fantastic performances with me, but this was his best," the Portuguese manager told Sky Sports.

Arsenal remain 10 points adrift of Chelsea in third place, but having won their nine previous games in all competitions and reached the FA Cup final as holders, manager Arsene Wenger believes his side are on an upward curve.

However, with top-four rivals Manchester City and Manchester United having endured difficult weekends - the former edging Aston Villa 3-2, the latter losing 3-0 at Everton - he feels now is not the time to think about next season's title race.

"We want to finish the season well," said the Frenchman, who has not beaten Mourinho in 13 attempts. "I watched Villa against City, and Everton today (Sunday), and every game is difficult.

"But we need to keep the focus until the end of the season.

"Then we'll see what we can do next season. Let's finish well. We go to Hull now, then we want to secure the top four before the FA Cup final.

"Then the top three or the top two. That's all to do now."