Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho taunted his critics after his side's 2-0 defeat of Fulham saw them rise to the top of the Barclays Premier League.
Since the defeat at Everton last Saturday Mourinho has been reminded of Chelsea's worst start to a Premier League season since 2003/04, in the early months of Roman Abramovich's ownership.
Coupled with the midweek mishap in the Champions League, a 2-1 defeat by Swiss side Basle, it prompted talk of a crisis at Chelsea, something Mourinho mocked following the west London derby triumph.
Mourinho placed little importance on his side topping the embryonic table after Oscar's second-half strike and John Obi Mikel's first goal in almost seven years ended a four-match winless streak.
The Portuguese merely took pleasure from the fact his side were in close proximity to the five sides he regards as title rivals.
"The important thing is not to be top, the important thing is to be there," Mourinho said.
"Where is Man U? Where is Man City? Where is Tottenham? Where is Arsenal? Where is Liverpool?
"If they are a long way (ahead) it's a problem, if we are there, it's important.
"And some of them, they start the Premier League in a brilliant way, we start in a very bad way.
"If we start in a very bad way and they start in a brilliant way, it's good for us."
Source: PA
