Manchester United game not that important - Chelsea boss
Last updated on .From the section Football
Andre Villas-Boas says the outcome of Chelsea's match with Manchester United on Sunday "won't mean anything."
The 33-year-old believes it is too early for the game at Old Trafford to have any impact on the title race.
"Our importance in the game is minimal. It's for the players to exploit their talents and enjoy their game.
"Any manager who is judged after five games of a season, there's not something wrong with the manager but with the people who run clubs."
Defeat would see Chelsea slip five points behind United, with a victory putting them a point clear.
The game will pit one of football's long-serving managers in Ferguson against one of the game's youngest in Villas-Boas.
Villas-Boas had only just turned nine when Ferguson took charge at Old Trafford and did not become aware of the 69-year-old's incredible exploits until much later.
"I don't even remember how old I was when he took charge," Villas-Boas said.
"I was in love with my Porto and didn't have enough football knowledge to extend myself.
"My love for the Premier League started when it started casting itself wider a bit more."
Chelsea will once again be without Didier Drogba, the Ivory Coast striker, who suffered concussion during their 3-1 win over Norwich three weeks ago, meaning manager Villas-Boas must decide whether to start Fernando Torres or Nicolas Anelka.
"Let's wait and see," he said. "I will not help you with your obsession with my striker!"
"My worst day is the day I have to make selections and I have to pick my team first, then the 18.
"When everybody is so good, you can almost become sentimental, but it takes a bit of my heart out."
Chelsea will once again be without Didier Drogba, the striker will not be risked at Old Trafford three weeks after his sickening head injury, meaning manager Andre Villas-Boas must decide whether to start Fernando Torres or Nicolas Anelka up front.