Jose Mourinho says he knew Liverpool would win title in November after Man City victory

Jose Mourinho heaped praise on debutant Steven Bergwijn after the £25million Dutchman helped blow apart ten-man Manchester City.

Bergwijn, signed from PSV last Tuesday, smashed a 63rd-minute volley to leave Spurs four points off the Champions League places.

Mourinho said: “It was a good goal and a very good performance. Very solid, very mature. He worked hard during the week.

“He arrived on Tuesday, so he had the week to work and to try as fast a possible to understand what we wanted from him.

“So it was a very solid performance against such a difficult opponent like Kyle Walker. He was also clever enough to appear in other zones and to try to create some problems for City.”

Son Heung Min hit a 71st-minute second to league Pep Guardiola’s City side a staggering 22 points behind Champions-elect Liverpool.

The Reds now need just six more wins to clinch a first Premier League title in 30 years. Fewer if Manchester City drop points. Liverpool’s sixth game is at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, 21 March.

Mourinho, meanwhile, has now won against Pep Guardiola with four different teams – Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Spurs.

He added: “I had the feeling in November [that Liverpool would win the League] and I know how difficult it is to win a third Premier League in a row.

“It is hard, difficult. But City are still a fantatstic team. Fantastic players, fantastic manager. So for us to beat them is very good. And the way the table is, you lose two matches you almost go to relegation. You win two matches you get up. So it was very important for us.”

Mourinho also insisted Raheem Sterling was lucky to get away with a nasty challenge on Dele Alli in the 12th minute.

Replays showed his studs landing on the ankle and lower shin of the Spurs and midfielder. Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sent off for a similar tackle on Crystal Palace midfielder Max Meyer last month.

While the VAR ruled Aubameyang’s yellow card should be upgraded to a red at the time, however, it controversially cleared Sterling.

Mourinho added: “I love football and I thought I was going to love VAR, that was my initial feeling. I love goalline technology because there is no mistake.

“But the VAR is too many mistakes.”