Mourinho predicts open title race

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes the Premier League title will be contested by more than the usual 'big-four' teams this season.

After Chelsea's 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday, Mourinho said: "It will become more normal for the big teams to lose matches and points.

"The other teams outside the top four have spent lots of money and brought players in to bolster their teams.

"Villa are one example but you can find a lot of other examples."

He added: "It will be more difficult to play against these teams because they are better.

"The league is open but it is the first weekend of September and we are only five matches into the season."

And of the current top four places in the Premier League only Everton are a surprise inclusion - with Liverpool on top, Arsenal second and Chelsea in fourth.

So it is unlikely that Mourinho will be hitting the panic button at this stage.

He was also keen to play down the significance of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich leaving the stands shortly after Villa scored their second goal.

"I think the owner leaves the stadium when he wants to leave," Mourinho said.

"I went to see England-Germany the other day and I left early because I wanted to beat the traffic."