Asmir Begovic is convinced that Premier League leaders Chelsea can bounce back from Sunday's disappointing 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.
Goals at the start of either half from Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera condemned Mourinho's former side to their second defeat in four games.
United are now four points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City in the table with a game in hand to play, while Chelsea's advantage on closest challengers Tottenham Hotspur at the top remains at a slender four points.
Rashford came off to a standing ovation in the closing stages, Ibrahimovic getting a late run-out as Chelsea were forced to turn their attention to next week's FA Cup semi-final against in-form rivals Tottenham, a side who represent a huge threat to their league hopes as well.
This is published unedited from the IANS feed. "The league is open and we have a 50 per cent [chance] to win the league".
- Chelsea have gone 10 Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet for the first time since December 1996 (13 games). We fight until the end. The Moyes year was a write-off, with not one performance of note and, while two campaigns under Van Gaal offered brief glimpses of a way forward, they proved to be flickering moments that had long expired by the time he was ushered out of the door to make way for Mourinho at the end of last season. But today I think was a special performance because it's also a special opponent - the leaders, the way they play.
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"I think they deserved to win", Conte said after the match.
The two London giants will be playing for a place in the final rather than league points but the match could have a considerable psychological impact on the title race.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was, according to Mourinho, rested after feeling "very tired" following the Anderlecht game; whether the absence of United's s 28-goal top scorer was tactical or purely down to exhausted legs, it worked in his team's favour.
But Conte, whose side have now lost two of their past four matches after going down 2-1 at home to Palace this month, says there is little to split the teams.
Alonso's absence, in particular, unbalanced Chelsea, which put in their worst performance since a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in September that forced manager Antonio Conte into a season-defining switch to a 3-4-3 formation.
Mourinho was asked how it feels to go 22 games unbeaten in the league and, while expressing frustration that has not led to a title challenge, believes it can be the foundation for one if they add a touch more quality to what he considers a strong squad. We score last minute here against Everton and Liverpool.
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