Out there in the big bad world of the Barclays Premier League, Jose Mourinho believes everyone has got it in for Chelsea again. He is convinced there is an orchestrated campaign, a deliberate attempt to undermine the league leaders as they enter the second half of the season. On these occasions you are usually inclined to think he is off his rocker, having him down as barking mad at the perceived injustices to his blue-eyed boys. Maybe this time, though, he has a point. ‘There is a campaign - not against me, but against Chelsea,’ he claimed after Cesc Fabregas was denied a 55th-minute penalty at St Mary’s on Sunday. Mourinho shows his frustration as Cesc Fabregas is fouled against Southampton . Mourinho believes there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Chelsea when penalties are not given . Penalties given in Premier League 2014-15 . Manchester City - 5 . Arsenal - 4 . West Bromwich Albion - 4 . Queens Park Rangers - 3 . Crystal Palace - 3 . Everton - 3 . Burnley - 2 . Leicester City - 2 . Chelsea - 2 . Stoke City - 2 . Southampton - 1 . Tottenham Hotspur - 1 . Sunderland - 1 . Newcastle United - 1 . Liverpool - 1 . West Ham United - 1 . Hull City - 1 . Swansea City - 1 . Aston Villa - 0 . Manchester United - 0 . Mourinho should not have been surprised because Chelsea have only been awarded two penalties this season. Both were at home. They were scored by Eden Hazard, one in the 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on October 5 and another against QPR on November 1. Since then, they haven’t had a sniff. On the face of it, with the likes of Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Fabregas and Andre Schurrle running rings around their opponents in the penalty area, it seems inconceivable that they have not won more decisions. That group play some of the most intricate football in the Premier League and yet Manchester City (five), West Brom and Arsenal (four), Crystal Palace, QPR and Southampton (three) have all had more penalties. Chelsea, Burnley and Stoke have been awarded two; Liverpool one; Manchester United have not had a single penalty under Louis van Gaal. So much for the big clubs getting all the big decisions. In the past few weeks, largely thanks to Steve Bruce’s ‘Swan Lake’ comment following Hull’s 2-0 defeat on December 13 and Sam Allardyce’s criticism of Branislav Ivanovic on Boxing Day, Chelsea’s player have acquired something of a reputation. Allardyce had a particular view on Ivanovic, accusing him of attempting to con referee Michael Oliver into awarding a penalty during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat. ‘Entitled? I don’t know about entitled,’ claimed Allardyce. ‘They try to make referees' minds up for them. ‘Staying on your feet does not get rewarded if you are fouled. We all know that.’ That provoked Mourinho, retaliating at Southampton after referee Anthony Taylor had denied his team a penalty when the score was 1-1. Phil Dowd, the match official for Chelsea’s New Year’s Day clash at Totteham, is under an extra bit of pressure because of Mourinho’s outburst. Eden Hazard is felled by Laurent Koscielny against Arsenal - a penalty was given and scored by the Belgian . The same player was fouled by QPR's Eduardo Vargas and converted Chelsea's other penalty this season . Diego Costa, Willian, Oscar, Fabregas, Ivanovic and even Gary Cahill are Chelsea players accused of diving at various stages of the season. It must be said, they do not look like a team of cheats. Still, Mourinho must accept that the decisions involving Chelsea will be scrutinised more than practically any other team in the Premier League because they are at the top. It was unwise for Taylor to apologise to Mourinho, particularly as Fabregas’ fall inside the penalty area fell into something of a grey area. It is true that the Southampton left back Matt Targett tripped him, but the replays also show Fabregas flinging out his right leg before he goes to ground. Why did he do that? The Spaniard has never been noted for trying to win penalties or con referees during his club career. Diego Costa was clipped by Burnley keeper Tom Heaton in the opening game but no penalty was given . Cesc Fabregas is incredulous after his penalty appeal against Southampton was turned down . What we do know is that the reaction of Fabregas prompted the referee to check with the fourth official to ask whether the decision was correct. Half an hour after the final whistle, Taylor held up his hands and apologised when he spoke with Mourinho in the dressing room area at St Mary’s. According to some officials in the game, it is normal practice to apologise to a manager if they subsequently realise they have made a mistake. Each manager has his own way of approaching referees. Sir Alex Ferguson often waded in, ranting about a decision that he believed had cost Manchester United the points. Mourinho has a twinkle in his eye, a certain charm that referees fall for when he enters their dressing room area to discuss a decision. Gary Cahill throws himself against Hull and no penalty was awarded . In a previous era, John Gregory once asked to sit in Graham Poll’s room instead of the visitors’ changing area after he had failed to award his side a penalty in the final minute against Charlton. ‘My players have worked so hard all week, but how can I face them after what you’ve just done,’ snapped Gregory as he took a seat on one of the benches in the referee’s room. He had made his point. Mourinho has made his, drawing his own conclusions after his team failed to record a sixth successive victory at Southampton. It was way over the top, but that is the way Mourinho works.
Chelsea have won two penalties this season, both at Stamford Bridge .
Manchester United are yet to win a single penalty this season .
Eden Hazard has converted both spot-kicks for Chelsea this season .
Chelsea have flair players such as Hazard, Willian and Cesc Fabregas - with them running at opponents Blues should win more penalties .
Decisions involving Chelsea are scrutinised more because they're top .
Out there in the big bad world of the Barclays Premier League, Jose Mourinho believes everyone has got it in for Chelsea again. He is convinced there is an orchestrated campaign, a deliberate attempt to undermine the league leaders as they enter the second half of the season. On these occasions you are usually inclined to think he is off his rocker, having him down as barking mad at the perceived injustices to his blue-eyed boys. Maybe this time, though, he has a point. ‘There is a campaign - not against me, but against Chelsea,’ he claimed after Cesc Fabregas was denied a 55th-minute penalty at St Mary’s on Sunday. Mourinho shows his frustration as Cesc Fabregas is fouled against Southampton . Mourinho believes there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Chelsea when penalties are not given . Penalties given in Premier League 2014-15 . Manchester City - 5 . Arsenal - 4 . West Bromwich Albion - 4 . Queens Park Rangers - 3 . Crystal Palace - 3 . Everton - 3 . Burnley - 2 . Leicester City - 2 . Chelsea - 2 . Stoke City - 2 . Southampton - 1 . Tottenham Hotspur - 1 . Sunderland - 1 . Newcastle United - 1 . Liverpool - 1 . West Ham United - 1 . Hull City - 1 . Swansea City - 1 . Aston Villa - 0 . Manchester United - 0 . Mourinho should not have been surprised because Chelsea have only been awarded two penalties this season. Both were at home. They were scored by Eden Hazard, one in the 2-0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on October 5 and another against QPR on November 1. Since then, they haven’t had a sniff. On the face of it, with the likes of Oscar, Willian, Hazard, Fabregas and Andre Schurrle running rings around their opponents in the penalty area, it seems inconceivable that they have not won more decisions. That group play some of the most intricate football in the Premier League and yet Manchester City (five), West Brom and Arsenal (four), Crystal Palace, QPR and Southampton (three) have all had more penalties. Chelsea, Burnley and Stoke have been awarded two; Liverpool one; Manchester United have not had a single penalty under Louis van Gaal. So much for the big clubs getting all the big decisions. In the past few weeks, largely thanks to Steve Bruce’s ‘Swan Lake’ comment following Hull’s 2-0 defeat on December 13 and Sam Allardyce’s criticism of Branislav Ivanovic on Boxing Day, Chelsea’s player have acquired something of a reputation. Allardyce had a particular view on Ivanovic, accusing him of attempting to con referee Michael Oliver into awarding a penalty during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat. ‘Entitled? I don’t know about entitled,’ claimed Allardyce. ‘They try to make referees' minds up for them. ‘Staying on your feet does not get rewarded if you are fouled. We all know that.’ That provoked Mourinho, retaliating at Southampton after referee Anthony Taylor had denied his team a penalty when the score was 1-1. Phil Dowd, the match official for Chelsea’s New Year’s Day clash at Totteham, is under an extra bit of pressure because of Mourinho’s outburst. Eden Hazard is felled by Laurent Koscielny against Arsenal - a penalty was given and scored by the Belgian . The same player was fouled by QPR's Eduardo Vargas and converted Chelsea's other penalty this season . Diego Costa, Willian, Oscar, Fabregas, Ivanovic and even Gary Cahill are Chelsea players accused of diving at various stages of the season. It must be said, they do not look like a team of cheats. Still, Mourinho must accept that the decisions involving Chelsea will be scrutinised more than practically any other team in the Premier League because they are at the top. It was unwise for Taylor to apologise to Mourinho, particularly as Fabregas’ fall inside the penalty area fell into something of a grey area. It is true that the Southampton left back Matt Targett tripped him, but the replays also show Fabregas flinging out his right leg before he goes to ground. Why did he do that? The Spaniard has never been noted for trying to win penalties or con referees during his club career. Diego Costa was clipped by Burnley keeper Tom Heaton in the opening game but no penalty was given . Cesc Fabregas is incredulous after his penalty appeal against Southampton was turned down . What we do know is that the reaction of Fabregas prompted the referee to check with the fourth official to ask whether the decision was correct. Half an hour after the final whistle, Taylor held up his hands and apologised when he spoke with Mourinho in the dressing room area at St Mary’s. According to some officials in the game, it is normal practice to apologise to a manager if they subsequently realise they have made a mistake. Each manager has his own way of approaching referees. Sir Alex Ferguson often waded in, ranting about a decision that he believed had cost Manchester United the points. Mourinho has a twinkle in his eye, a certain charm that referees fall for when he enters their dressing room area to discuss a decision. Gary Cahill throws himself against Hull and no penalty was awarded . In a previous era, John Gregory once asked to sit in Graham Poll’s room instead of the visitors’ changing area after he had failed to award his side a penalty in the final minute against Charlton. ‘My players have worked so hard all week, but how can I face them after what you’ve just done,’ snapped Gregory as he took a seat on one of the benches in the referee’s room. He had made his point. Mourinho has made his, drawing his own conclusions after his team failed to record a sixth successive victory at Southampton. It was way over the top, but that is the way Mourinho works.
Chelsea,’ he claimed after Cesc Fabregas was two penalties this season. Both were at home. victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on (three) have all had more penalties. Chelsea, because of Mourinho’s outburst. Eden Hazard is and converted Chelsea's other penalty this season decisions involving Chelsea will be scrutinised never been noted for trying to win penalties or cost Manchester United the points. Mourinho has a