Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: It was like playing in front of an empty stadium

Blues boss unhappy with Stamford Bridge crowd as his side go nine points clear of champions Manchester City

Jose Mourinho looks on (Getty Images)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho criticised the Stamford Bridge crowd after his Blues side edged past Queens Park Rangers yesterday afternoon.

The London club continued their impressive unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign after a second-half penalty from Eden Hazard secured the win, but Mourinho later labelled the experience 'like playing in an empty stadium'.

"Everyone knows how much I feel connected to this club and the fans," he said during an interview with talkSPORT.

"At this moment it's difficult for us to play at home though, because playing here is like playing in an empty stadium.

"The team then starts playing like it's a quiet, soft game at home. It's difficult to get that strong start where the players, team and fans at Stamford Bridge [are together].

"I was today looking around and it was empty, but not in terms of people because it was obviously full. That's what is frustrating."

The league leaders were given an almighty scare when Charlie Austin cancelled out Oscar's opener but Mourinho's men rallied to secure the three points.

Oscar celebrates his strike against QPR (Getty Images)

The former Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss also commented on the ground staff, believing that the floodlights should have been switched on earlier.

"I think the man responsible for the lights was in the same mood as the crowd, because everybody was sleeping," Mourinho continued.

"He took 20 minutes to understand that it was dark, but I took 30 minutes to understand that the stadium was not empty.

"When we scored was when I realised, 'woah, the stadium is full'. Good."