Alex Ferguson last night entered the controversy over Chelsea's mid-season problems when he suggested it could have serious repercussions for the champions' chances of overcoming Manchester United's six-point lead at the top of the Premiership.
If morale at Chelsea has plummeted Ferguson can contemplate the potential benefits for his own club. "I think that whatever has happened, the situation with [ Andriy] Shevchenko seems to be at the core of it," he said.
Uppermost in Ferguson's mind is that the endless speculation about Mourinho's future must be affecting the Chelsea players. He recalled the time when he announced he would retire from Old Trafford at the end of the 2001-02 season - and United finished outside the top two for the first time in the Premiership.
"I announced it at the start of the season and I just got a feeling as the season progressed a lot of the players were saying: 'Ah well, he's not going to be here any longer'."
He added: "There was no doubt it had an effect and, once I decided not to retire, there was a genuine pick up again . . . it was amazing."
Ferguson said Mourinho had been "happy enough" when he sat with him at a charity dinner two months ago and again when he last saw him, after Chelsea drew 1-1 at Old Trafford in early December. "He'll have a drink after the game, he'll laugh at himself and he'll tell jokes against himself. We never talk about football, we talk about general things. We get on well."
Nonetheless, the United manager is clearly enjoying watching the drama unfold at Stamford Bridge. Ferguson said "even Liverpool fans" were telling him they wanted United to win the league. Their chances of doing that should be enhanced by extending Henrik Larsson's loan period until the end of the season and United are so confident of reaching an agreement with Helsingborg they took the gamble yesterday of loaning Giuseppe Rossi to Parma for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, the chances of England midfielder Owen Hargreaves joining Manchester United in the summer have become even more remote with Bayern Munich set to lose the services of several midfielders. On Tuesday, Sebastian Deisler announced his immediate retirement. The situation will become more acute in the summer when Mehmet Scholl intends to retire and Hasan Salihamidzic will complete an agreed move to Juventus.
That will leave Bayern with just four recognised midfielders in Mark van Bommel, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Andreas Ottl and Hargreaves. Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness has indicated the situation will mean players will not be allowed to leave.
United defender Gabriel Heinze has denied reports he is on his way out of the club in the January transfer window.
The Argentina international has struggled to regain his place in the side with Patrice Evra impressing at left back.
But despite interest from AC Milan Heinze, who cost nearly £7million three years ago and is contracted until June, said he wished to ay at the club.
"I do not want to be sold in January. I want to wait until June to see what happens. I am happy in Manchester with my work and I want to try and get back in the team, but it is the coach who picks the 11."
Guardian Service
