Mourinho looking forward to Manchester United chase

LONDON, Dec 14 (Reuters) Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is relishing the challenge of chasing Manchester United into the New Year, five points adrift but with a home game against the Premier League leaders still to play.

Speaking after a lacklustre 1-0 win over Newcastle United yesterday, Mourinho said with typical hauteur: ''Of course I prefer to be top, but I'm enjoying the chase. It's a new experience for me to be second in December.'' The Portuguese led Chelsea to two English championships in his first two seasons in London after securing the title at home in the previous two campaigns with Porto.

Mourinho said the gods had not been with Chelsea recently.

They had hit the woodwork on numerous occasions rather than scoring, notably in their 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Sunday, and had suffered several doubtful refereeing decisions.

''But not to take it away from them. (Manchester United) deserve to be top of the league now and they are but there's a long time to go and we shall see,'' he said.

''I don't see it as five points I see it as two,'' Mourinho added.

''It's important in the four months before we play them we make up the two points,'' he noted, adding that the other three points were in Chelsea's hands. The top two drew 1-1 at Old Trafford last month.

The champions struggled to find scoring form against Newcastle and their blushes were spared by Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, rested on the bench because of a slight injury, who came on at halftime and scored in the 72nd minute.

''No doubt we should have played better but the points are the main thing,'' Mourinho said.

Central defender Ricardo Carvalho was pulled off at halftime because of an ankle injury and could be a doubt for Chelsea's next Premier League match at Everton on Saturday.

By then Carlo Cudicini should have recovered from a thigh muscle injury to replace Hilario in goal.

REUTERS PM RK0940