Mourinho backs Chelsea to recover from loss

The Premier League leaders saw their 23-game unbeaten run in all competitions ended in the north east courtesy of a second-half Papiss Cisse brace.

Manchester City were able to close the gap at the top to three points with their win over Everton later on Saturday, but Mourinho retains full confidence Chelsea can get back on track, with Hull City visiting Stamford Bridge on this weekend. 

The Portuguese also reiterated his view that Chelsea were unfortunate to be beaten by Newcastle.

When it was suggested his team had made an impressive start to the season regardless of the defeat, he told the British press: "Yes. Better than anyone else.

"And of course I will back them to bounce back. We are top of the league.

"For people like me who have been in football for so long you have to accept this anomaly. To come here and be better than our opponents and lose, that is football.

"Nobody has done better than us. Everyone would like to be in our position. So we are more than fine. We are better than anybody else.

"I don't say my team is the best, I say my team is top of the league and at this moment nobody has the same points we have.

"Because of that at the moment we're the best team in the Premier League."

The loss also ensured Chelsea equalled rather than bettered the club record run of 24 matches unbeaten with Paris Saint-Germain the only team in Europe's major leagues to stay unbeaten in all competitions.

"The players are not jumping with happiness but they are accepting the defeat as part of the game," Mourinho added.

"They tried everything, were unlucky and are not happy with that, but that is football."