Jose says Blues look like champs

Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea is firmly on course to win the Premier League after extending its lead at the top to six points with a feisty 3-2 victory at Hull.

The Blues, chasing their first English league crown since 2010, re-established their stranglehold on the title race thanks to Loic Remy's late winner at KC Stadium on Sunday.

And with Chelsea holding a game in hand on second-place Manchester City, Mourinho says it is now the firm favorite to lift the trophy.

"The title race should be over," Mourinho said. "The title race in normal conditions, Chelsea should have eight, 10, 12 points more than we have - title race over.

"But football is unpredictable and the reality is we have a six-point lead which is our best situation for the whole season.

"The maximum lead we had was eight but when we had eight we had more matches to go.

"In this moment we have a six-point lead, one match in hand, that can help us have a bigger distance with eight matches to go to our opponents.

"They (City) can make 24 points, if they can make 24 points for us it is a question of mathematics to see how much we need.

"I'm pretty confident. I believe in my players, I believe that we can do it."

Chelsea had to work to beat Hull, despite making a flying start.

Goals from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa put Mourinho's team ahead in the first nine minutes but struggling Hull showed admirable determination to draw even with two goals in quick succession from Ahmed Elmohamady and Abel Hernandez before halftime.

Substitute Remy scored the winning goal with 13 minutes left after replacing the injured Costa.

Costa sustained a recurrence of the hamstring injury that has bothered him since last season and is doubtful for Spain's Euro 2016 qualifier against Ukraine on March 27.

"For Diego (the international break) is good because imagine we play three matches in one week, that's three matches he doesn't play," Mourinho said.

"I don't think it will need an operation. Our doctor is against surgeries, against knives.

"We are all in favor of conservative work and collective work between medical department and fitness technical staff.

"This is the direction we believe we have to take."