José Mourinho says Edin Dzeko should have won the footballer of the year award rather than Luis Suárez. The Chelsea manager seemingly could not resist another jibe at the Liverpool striker, in comments that may be seen as revealing his interest in Manchester City's Bosnian striker at the end of a season in which he has frequently criticised his own forwards.

"My player of the year would always be from the champions," Mourinho said. "Manchester City need a point. I would say a City player and I would choose Dzeko. He was the third striker at the beginning of the season and when the team needed him, in crucial moments, he made the difference. He has 16 goals. Sixteen for the third striker is something spectacular. He's not just a goalscorer. He assists, he plays."

And in an apparent veiled reference to Suárez, Mourinho added: "He behaves, he's fair, he doesn't dive, doesn't try to put opponents on the stands with accumulation of cards."