Mourinho: Pellegrini and Man City are not criminals who should be sent to hell

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has launched a staunch defence of Manuel Pellegrini and Manchester City, claiming they deserve better than to be portrayed as "criminals" who should be sent to "hell".

The Premier League champions have slipped 12 points behind the Blues following a poor run of results and are in danger of missing out on a place in next season's Champions League.

But Mourinho feels it is unfair how City and Pellegrini are being lambasted by the media, given their successes in recent years.

“I’m not surprised by City’s form, because it can happen to anyone," he told reporters. "What I'm surprised about is that a team that won two [Premier League] titles in three years, a team that are still champions and won two trophies last season, you can bring this team to hell.

“It looks like they don’t deserve respect, that they are bad players, that the manager is a bad manager, that they are a disaster. But they are the champions. I don’t understand.

“On one hand, you want that competitiveness in this country - you don’t like a team to win two titles in a row, a team to be ­dominant, you want lots of teams fighting for the title. So how can you be so negative with a team that’s won two titles in three years?

"OK, they won’t win this title this year, but they did last year. Some managers cannot win and life goes on, but the guys at Man City... it looks like they’re criminals.

"I feel it’s amazing. You [City] are the champions and people are already pushing you. It’s a big contradiction."