Neville: Mourinho’s Chelsea the toughest team I ever faced

Gary Neville rates Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea team of 2005 as one of the hardest opponents the former Manchester United defender ever came up against.

Mourinho led the Blues to back-to-back Premier League titles in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge after taking over from Claudio Ranieri in the summer of 2004.

And Neville, who made over 600 appearances for United between 1992 and 2011, admits that the Blues were one of the toughest sides he has faced.

“Jose Mourinho’s great Chelsea team of 2005 were possibly the hardest opponents I ever faced at Manchester United, a real dog of a team,” Neville wrote in the Daily Mail.

“When Jose Mourinho won the league title for two years in a row, I did start to wonder if we’d ever get it back at Old Trafford, which is why stopping him from winning a third in 2007 was so special.”

Mourinho sealed a return to Stamford Bridge back in June after penning a four-year contract with the west London club.

And Neville believes that the 50-year-old’s return to England is good news for the Premier League.

“Whoever you support, everyone should be delighted to have Jose Mourinho back for the new season,” he continued.

“He is the biggest signing of the summer for English football, more than that of any player. You can’t ignore him, the way he challenges people, works the media or celebrates on the touchline like a fan.”