Jose Mourinho’s return to management is the Premier League’s headline act on what could be another crucial weekend in the title race.
While all eyes will be on Mourinho as Tottenham travel to West Ham in urgent need to arrest the shocking slide of form which saw Mauricio Pochettino sacked, Liverpool’s trip to Crystal Palace and Manchester City’s meeting with in-form Chelsea may well prove to be of greater significance.
Victory for Chelsea would propel them into the title reckoning, and potentially deal City a fatal blow, if Liverpool were to win at a Palace side who have mastered the art of giant-killing in the Premier League.
It’s unfamiliar territory for Mourinho, joining a side halfway through the season and playing catch-up with the rest of the league. He takes over with Spurs in 14th place, and without a league away win since January.
Having been sacked at Chelsea and Manchester United, there’s excitement and apprehension in equal measure among Spurs fans of Mourinho’s shock appointment, but he himself is convinced the 11-month break has done him good.
“I think I am new and improved. I have to believe so,” Mourinho said. “I always thought that these 11 months were not a waste of time.
“They were months to think, to analyse, to prepare, to anticipate things. You never lose your DNA, you never lose your identity, but I have time to think about many things. I am humble, humble enough to try and analyse my career.”
