Chelsea have eased up, Mourinho admits

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho put his team’s surprise defeat at West Brom down to the fact that their intensity has dropped since they sealed the title.

The Blues, who finish their season at home to Sunderland on Sunday, have taken a total of one point from their two matches since being crowned champions.

And boss Mourinho gave a frank assessment of their 3-0 loss at The Hawthorns.

He said: “This is a consequence of being champions so early. The ideal scenario would be to be champions and then not play again – go home, have holidays and not play again.

“When you play since August in the top of your motivation, concentration, commitment, feeling every three days the pressure to win and get the result, and then you are champions, you breathe and everything changes. It’s [then] difficult to play at the [same] level.

“If today we needed this game to be champions, I am not saying we would win, but I am saying we would compete at a higher level.”

Chelsea played most of the match with 10 men after Cesc Fabregas was sent off on the half-hour mark for kicking the ball at West Brom’s Chris Brunt.

“I’ve never seen a sending-off like it,” Mourinho said.

“Where is the danger of the situation? Where is the aggression? It’s a bizarre red card. A three-game ban for this? Of course it’s harsh.”

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