Mourinho expects Chelsea to overtake
United
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes his side will overtake
Manchester United at the top of the Premiership sooner rather than
later.
He said: 'We are doing well and this game is a great example of our
how well we are performing.
'I am happy to be in this position when I look at the fixtures we
and Manchester United have had in the first period of the
season.
'But now is time to win matches consecutively and go top of the
league as soon as possible.'
Mourinho believes Michael Ballack will be a huge success at the
club because 'he is a team player'.
The former Bayern Munich midfielder scored the winner in the 1-0
victory against Bolton - his third league goal in his debut
Premiership season.
Ballack headed home Frank Lampard`s corner in first-half stoppage
time, which came at the end of a spell of unrelenting pressure from
a Chelsea side without injured pair Joe Cole and Arjen
Robben.
England international Cole could be out for up to three weeks
because of a bruised foot.
'I am pleased with Ballack, not just because he scored the winning
goal,' said Mourinho.
'I am pleased with everything. It was crucial in this game to keep
the ball, defend well and press high.
'I paired him with Claude Makelele and Ballack is a team player.
His contribution was great.'
It needed a good block from goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini in stoppage
time from El-Hadji Diouf to deny Bolton an equaliser.
Manager Sam Allardyce, who had seen his team defeat Arsenal at the
weekend, thought the Senegal striker could have done better.
'Diouf tried a little flick when he had enough time to bring it
down and put it in,' said the Bolton boss.
'But it was a terrific second half performance by my team and
really pleasing. Chelsea are always be difficult to play against,
home and away.
'We are disappointed we have not nicked a point. We gave it our
best shot and I cannot ask any more than that.
'We created chances and took the game to the opposition and tried
to get back in it.
'I was hoping to get in at half time at 0-0 and we were a split
second away from doing that.
'I know they deserved that goal for way played against us but the
result could have been different.'
