Chelsea boss Mourinho welcomes home start

Mourinho told the club's website: "Starting the season at home is a great way for our supporters to show the players they are ready to be behind the team all the way, and at the same time it is a great way for the players to show how much they are motivated and committed.

"I am so happy to start at the Bridge, but at the same time Hull City is a team who were promoted from the Championship and they will have that spirit, even if now they are in the Premier League. So it is an emotional but a hard start."

Steve Bruce's newly promoted Hull side may be Mourinho's first opponents on August 17 but his second will be Manchester United at Old Trafford a week later.

Mourinho won all four of his opening league fixtures during his first spell as Chelsea manager but Hull's Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler insists they can pull off a shock.

He said: "I'm sure the manager will have us all fired up and ready to go for that opening game against Chelsea. Jose Mourinho will do the same with his players and they'll be hoping to win the league. It will be tough, but maybe we can spoil his party."

Manchester United's new boss David Moyes will get his season underway at Swansea, followed by Chelsea at home and then trips to Liverpool and Manchester City.

Former United star Quinton Fortune has claimed Mourinho should be more worried about the explosive second weekend showdown at Old Trafford than Moyes.

Mourinho lost just once in the Premier League to United, and defeated them in the Champions League with Real Madrid this season, and has never been beaten by Moyes.

But Fortune told MUTV: "Mourinho has been boasting about his record against United. He always brings it up. But this is a different manager, with a different style of play. If David Moyes brings the same desire and fighting spirit that he had at Everton I am sure Mourinho will find it tough."

Source: PA

Source: PA