Mourinho surprised by performance

Mourinho would have preferred a longer pre-season

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said he had been pleasantly surprised by his side's powerful display in the straightforward 3-0 win over Manchester City.

"We played very well, maybe even better than we were expecting," Mourinho told BBC Sport.

"I don't think it was a message to other teams because everyone knows the team we were over the last two seasons.

"It's just a good start at a difficult time with so many injuries and without the time to have a proper pre-season."

Interview: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

Mourinho said he did not read too much into the performances of his side and their likely Premiership rivals in their first competitive match of the season.

"We will get better, but so will other teams," he added.

"From kick-off the team played well and pressed well, not giving Man City the chance to control things."

Mourinho said he was as happy as he has ever been at Stamford Bridge, although he bemoaned the lack of a full pre-season and the uncertainty over the possible transfer of Ashley Cole.

"I couldn't be happier at the club, or in the country," he said.

Results at Stamford Bridge and places like that probably won't affect our season Man City boss Stuart Pearce

"My family loves to be here and everything is good for me.

"(But) in football terms, we've started the season without a proper pre-season. In the last two seasons I've had my 23-player squad established on the first day of pre-season.

"This year, Khalid Boulahrouz should arrive on Monday and we still need a left-back in spite of Wayne Bridge playing very well.

"We can't do a whole season with only one left-back."

Meanwhile, Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce said his side's defeat would not have a major bearing on the rest of their Premiership season.

"As I've said to the players, results at Stamford Bridge and places like that probably won't affect our season," Pearce told BBC Sport.

"It's more the results against the teams around us that will affect us.

"I'm always disappointed when we get beaten, and I've got to learn lessons from this.

"From an effort point of view we've done pretty well. Going down to 10 men at Chelsea is never easy, they've got talent all over the pitch and you're at full stretch at the best of times."