LVG out to beat former pupil Mourinho

London - When Jose Mourinho jumped to beleaguered Louis van Gaal's defence in February, sympathising that he should be given time to get used to English football, even he might have been surprised at just how quickly his mentor has since adapted.

At the time, Van Gaal's Manchester United were pleasing nobody, stodgy and struggling, but a run of six straight, ever more convincing wins sees them march to Mourinho's Chelsea fortress on Saturday with the master ready to beat his pupil for the first time.

If Van Gaal could orchestrate Chelsea's third league defeat of the season and move within five points of the leaders - albeit having played a game more than the Londoners - it could yet inject a smidgen of uncertainty into a race which was beginning to resemble a Chelsea procession.