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Jose Mourinho has been speaking ahead of Liverpool's trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

He was asked questions on a host of subjects, including injured striker Diego Costa, outgoing Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and the fact he hasn't won a manager of the month award all season.

Chelsea have the title sewn up heading into Sunday's game, and will likely be given a guard of honour by Brendan Rodgers' side ahead of kick-off.

As for Liverpool, they need to win to keep alive their hopes of chasing down Manchester United for the final Champions League spot.

Here is what Mourinho had to say...

On Costa...

(Image: Getty)

"He wants to play. I will protect him. Let's try to find a balance between the risk and desire of him to play."

On Gerrard...

"It is my time to honour a champion in Steven Gerrard. Opponents like him, make me the manager I am.

"I learn through my players and through my best opponents and the problems they give me, the way they make me think and analyse them.

"Steven Gerrard is for sure one of my favourite enemies. An enemy with all the good feeling I can express. For sure in England, he is my dear enemy. The one who made me a better manager.

"To stop him or try to stop him has been very difficult. I won, lost and drew against him, him as a holding player, a number 8, a number 10, coming from the wing in a three-man defence and I am very sad it is the last time I will play against him.

(Image: REUTERS)

"I need people like him to make me a better coach. I am very sad he is leaving, the same as Frank Lampard. He is a Chelsea legend. It's a different situation.

"I tried to bring him to Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid and he was always the enemy. I hope Stamford Bridge has the same feeling I have. We need people like him. He can't play against Liverpool.

"He had an amazing career, an amazing feeling that he refused to play for other big clubs and play in other big leagues. Who knows, maybe I will play against Steven Gerrard as Liverpool manager some day."

On going out of the Champions League...

"It was a help. I am not happy to go out but with the players we lost, to be in the last month playing against Barcelona at the same time as Man United, Arsenal, the short squad we had, would have been difficult."

On strengthening in the summer...

"Most important we keep the squad. In previous squads, I had players I was happy to sell. In this squad, no players I am happy to sell, not me, not the board. I want to keep my important players."

On not winning manager of the month all season...

(Image: BT Sport)

"I know. I know. I think my objecvtove for the season is to be champion. After that what comes, comes, what doesn't, doesn't. I'd like to know who are the people on the panel are.

"Maybe I will meet some of these people and I will want a word with them." For many months no defeats and only victories but I can't do anything about it. I can just enjoy my title, which is the most important thing."

On a new contract...

"I don't need a contract. Mr Abramovich needs to be very calm. I am in his hands. I want to stay, I don't want to leave. I am not asking for a better contract.

"I am very, very calm. He doesn't need to be worried, he has me. If he want me to stay, I'm staying. I know he wants me next season, because I am working. A 10-year contract is not important."

On spending 274 days at the top of the table...

"It pleases me the title, the way we did, and the consistency of being there from day one to the last day. There was a difficult period where we lost players, matches and points but we overcame them.

"For the boys to keep that stability in their emotions was fantastic. It was a title to remember because of stability from day one. Rivals are very strong. Next season they know what they want but we know what they want.

In pictures: Chelsea celebrate title

"Because of evolution of the other teams, we need to be better. In other leagues we could stay as we are.

"Next season, if we are exactly the same, I think it's not enough because of their economic power, their desire to win title for the first time in years or to repeat what they have done recently.

"We must expect opponents to be even stonger. We must try to improve."

On the key moment...

"Stability after the Spurs defeat on New Year's Day. We kept strong, self-esteem high, people not trying to find excuses or lay blame. That moment defined the stability of our group."

On Oscar's injury...

"He doesn't go to Copa America. Muscle problem in quadriceps. Spoke to Dunga, he said it was impossible."