Chelsea are now firm favourites to add the Premier League title to their trophy haul this season but Mourinho insists City, and even Manchester United, remain in contention.

“It’s in the hands of everyone,” Mourinho said.

“We have lots of difficult matches to play. City have difficult matches.

“United are third, right? Nine points (behind)? They are in the title race too. Liverpool (beating Manchester City), I predicted that.”

Mourinho banned television from the hotel and team bus before the final at Wembley to prevent his players from being distracted by City’s result against Liverpool.

“I knew that was an impossible mission, but I didn’t want the television on in the hotel or on the bus,” Mourinho explained.

“I told them (the players) I didn’t want any kind of manifestation or disappointment if City scored in the last minute, or Liverpool won. I wanted complete silence.

“We were successful on that. But one member of my staff jumped up in the bus. Silvino (Louro, an assistant first-team coach). I wanted to kill the guy. He broke the rule.”

Chelsea claimed the first major trophy of the season at Wembley thanks to John Terry’s first-half strike and Kyle Walker’s own goal early in the second period.

The victory was Mourinho’s 10th in 12 major finals and his 21st trophy in 15 years of management.

“It’s difficult for me to live without titles,” Mourinho said.

“I need to feed myself with titles. This is important for me and the boys.

“For the club it’s one more cup, but it’s the first one of a new team.

“You have Petr Cech, John Terry, Didier Drogba and, after that, everybody belongs to a new generation of players. So, as a team, very, very important.”

It was also important for Mourinho, who was trophyless in his first season back at Chelsea following a disappointing final campaign at previous club Real Madrid, having enjoyed success throughout his career prior to that.

He added: “I started in 2000. I won the UEFA Cup in 2003, the Champions League in 2004. I didn’t have time to process that.

“I went in a different direction, with two seasons without a trophy, and it looked like I was 20 years without a trophy.

“This is a good problem, to have that feeling that two years is a long time. That’s a good feeling.

“For me, it’s important to feel that I’m a kid. Before the game, that I had the same feelings as my first final however many years ago.

“It’s important to feel the same happiness after the victory, and to feel like a kid at 52 years old.”

Mourinho celebrated by calling his wife, Matilde, from the tunnel.

He added: “I had my son and my daughter here, but my wife was at home and didn’t know the result until I called.”