Mourinho to make late call on Costa
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is yet to decide whether to risk striker Diego Costa for the Barclays Premier League leaders' clash with Stoke on Saturday.
Costa suffered a recurrence of his hamstring problem in last month's 3-2 win at Hull and withdrew from international duty with Spain.
Chelsea's top scorer will be in the squad for the Stamford Bridge fixture, but may not start.
Mourinho said: "Diego trained (on Thursday and Friday) with the group. He's not injured. I don't know if I start with him or not.
"We did all the tests and the scans to confirm two days ago scientifically the situation and in this moment the muscle is fine.
"But football is more than that. You need confidence. You don't need to break your intensity. That's our doubt. Let's see next 24 hours."
Asked the long-term solution to Costa's recurring problems, Mourinho insisted an operation would be undertaken only if there was no alternative.
Mourinho added: "I don't believe we will ever go in the surgery direction.
"(The solution) is to work the way he does all the season in prevention, in making the muscle stronger and at the same time elastic and flexible. Recover well - not a big accumulation of fatigue - and this is what we can do."
Chelsea are six points clear of second-placed Manchester City with that game in hand, but Mourinho believes the title race is open and even fourth-placed Manchester United, who are eight points behind, are in contention.
"With eight matches to go it is a difficult gap from the first to fifth, but the points difference between second, third and fourth make me feel that they are there," Mourinho added.
"In the last matches they (United) become consistent in results and also the quality of their performances.
"We need six victories and one draw in nine matches, so a good situation for us, a situation that all the other clubs would like, but it's pure mathematics."
In winning the title in 2005 and 2006, Mourinho predicted when and where Chelsea would lift the trophy.
It is "too early" to make such bold claims this time.
He added: "If we are champions in the last match, I'm more than happy with that.
"I'm not thinking about how or when. I'm just thinking that we need to win six matches and draw one.
"Every victory we have now is one victory less that we need and is one less occasion for our opponents to reach us.
"I don't care if it's in the hotel, or away or at home. I just want to win it.
"Many occasions in the Premier League the clubs get the trophy in their last match at home.
"Our last match of the season is at home so if we win the title we get the trophy at our house, but I don't care even if somebody loses the trophy and we don't get the trophy. I'm happy with that.
"I just want to win it."
Stoke boss Mark Hughes is in no doubt it is high time the club brought their run of fruitless trips to Stamford Bridge to an end.
Since gaining promotion to the Barclays Premier League in 2008, the Potters have played Chelsea away eight times in all competitions and lost on every occasion.
They did win their last visit to the Londoners' ground previous to that, a League Cup triumph in 1995, but it is not since a 1-1 draw between the two sides in 1984 that Stoke have claimed a point there.
Adding to that in Saturday's 5.30pm clash at the stadium certainly looks a tall order - leaders Chelsea have won 11 and drawn three of their 14 home league games this season.
But Hughes, who has seen his 10th-placed side notch victories at the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham already this term, is adamant Stoke must address their poor Stamford Bridge record.
Former Chelsea striker Hughes said: "It's not easy. Our record there hasn't been great - but that could be said of most clubs in the Premier League recently.
"I'm told that the last time we got a positive result there (in the league) was 1984 and my first-team coach (Eddie Niedzwiecki) was in goal for Chelsea.
"I don't know what that says about the quality of Stoke in those days - or if it questions the ability of my first-team coach!
"But it has been a long time and we need to address that. We have been able to go to the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham this year (and get results) and our away form for the most part has been good.
"We have proved to ourselves that we can go to top clubs and get positive results, and hopefully we will do more of the same at the weekend."
Source: PA
