Chelsea’s Diego Costa was feeling ‘5kg more pressure’ per game during goal drought, says Jose Mourinho

Winner: Diego Costa scored just his fourth goal in all competitions against Norwich
OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP/Getty Images
Vaishali Bhardwaj21 November 2015

Jose Mourinho believes Diego Costa's goal in Chelsea's win against Norwich on Saturday will prove "important" for the striker's confidence and morale going forwards.

The Brazilian-born Spain international scored the only goal of the Premier League match in the second half at Stamford Bridge when he calmly drove a low shot past John Ruddy to secure all three points for Chelsea, who subsequently replaced the Canaries in 15th place in the table.

The goal, however, came after Costa had missed several chances to open the scoring for the Blues in the game but Mourinho said after the victory the striker's goal - which is just his fourth in all competitions this season - was vital in releasing some of the pressure the 27-year-old has been under in recent weeks.

When asked about Costa on Saturday, Mourinho said: "With so many pundits we have in different TVs, radios and papers, some of them were strikers and some of them know the feeling.

"You don't score goals, you get heavier. Every game that you don't score goals, you get 5kg more. You get heavy and the pressure is there.

"In the first half he misses two chances. The second one, in the last minute, is really a big one. So it was important for him. Important for us, the result and the goal, but I think also for him.

"He's working well, he's a happy guy, he tries everything. He's positive, so if I had to choose somebody to score the winning goal, I would go exactly with him."

He added: "Everything is connected. I think when you are full of confidence it's not just about goals, it's also about – I don't know if it's the right word – but fluent.

"You are fluent in your decisions, you choose well your movements, you choose well the number of touches you give to the ball, when to hold, when to keep possession, when to touch, first touch.

"When you lose confidence, you lose this fluent game. Yes, he can do much better, but again, yes, one goal is very important."

Chelsea vs Norwich - player ratings

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Costa has been involved in several confrontations with opposing defenders this season after clashing with Arsenal duo Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny in Chelsea's 2-0 win over Arsenal in September and coming together with Stoke's Ryan Shawcross before the international break.

But Mourinho praised the Blues striker for concentrating on his game rather than Norwich's defenders at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, saying he was pleased to see Costa avoid reacting to provocations.

When asked about Costa's behaviour against the Canaries, Mourinho said: "He's doing well. He had three yellow cards in 16, 17 official matches in the season.

"He's not responding to provocations. Little things are the salt and the pepper of football. He's behaving well and everything is fine."

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