Premier League Preview: Chelsea v Norwich City

Jose Mourinho has attempted to restore a feel-good factor at Chelsea ahead of their clash with struggling Norwich City.

The Portuguese manager watched on as his charges crashed out of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, courtesy of a 3-1 home loss against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final.

That defeat heaped pain on a Chelsea side that had received a boost in the Premier League just three days earlier in the form of a 2-0 away win over leaders Liverpool.

Mourinho is understandably keen to ensure there is no hangover in evidence as the London club bid to keep their domestic title hopes alive.

Chelsea are two points behind Liverpool with two games to play – third-placed Manchester City sit a point further back with a game in hand – and Mourinho said on Friday that he had tried to lift spirits among his players following their European disappointment.

“It’s life,” he said. “I think they come back like they have to be, but with the feeling that they had a good Champions League campaign – they did everything they could.

“Today we tried to build a training session where they could recover some smiles, some happiness, some good feelings.”

Chelsea are likely to need a maximum return from their final two fixtures to stand any chance of lifting the title for the first time since 2010.

On Sunday they face a Norwich outfit requiring points for an entirely different reason after five successive defeats.

The Carrow Road club slipped into the bottom three on goal difference last weekend as a result of a 4-0 reverse against Manchester United.

Neil Adams has overseen Norwich’s last three losses after succeeding Chris Hughton and knows his side are in a perilous position, with a home fixture against Arsenal to come on the final day of the season.

Norwich’s boss can at least call on a positive recent experience at Stamford Bridge.

Although the club’s first team have not won there since 1993, Adams was in charge last May when Norwich secured the FA Youth Cup with a 3-2 win at Chelsea that sealed a 4-2 aggregate success.

“I’ve got very good memories of Stamford Bridge. The last time I was there as a coach, we won the Youth Cup final,” said Adams.

“It’s not nice being in the bottom three. Obviously it’s going to be tough, you don’t want to be there.

“We have to go to Stamford Bridge and put in a performance that will get us a result. We hope to go there and execute the gameplan that we made.”

Adams has confirmed that Joseph Yobo’s calf problem will be assessed ahead of the game, while Anthony Pilkington (knock) will miss out.

For the hosts, goalkeeper Petr Cech (shoulder) is unlikely to play and Oscar (hip) is a doubt, while midfielder Ramires serves the second instalment of a four-match ban and will not play again this season.