Manchester United v Chelsea: Moyes relishes Mourinho test

David Moyes is relishing the challenge of facing Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in his first home Premier League match as Manchester United manager.

The Blues have won both of their first two games and would go six points clear of United if they win on Monday.

"There is lots I've been looking forward to: taking the team on tour, leading them at Wembley," Moyes said.

"But to do it [lead the team out] at Old Trafford for the first game against Chelsea is a thrill, it really is."

Moyes, who left Everton for United in the summer, oversaw an emphatic 4-1 victory over Swansea in his opening game in charge, while Mourinho has started his second stint at Stamford Bridge with home wins over Hull City and Aston Villa.

And a game that has become one of the high-profile fixtures in the Premier League title race in recent seasons has an extra level of intrigue because of Chelsea's attempts to sign United's unsettled striker Wayne Rooney.

Mourinho, who signed a four-year deal at the London club after returning in the summer, originally insisted he was not interested in talking about the 27-year-old England forward.

But the former Real Madrid manager has since added extra spice to Monday's clash by saying Moyes should shoulder the blame for Rooney's desire to leave Old Trafford after suggesting he was a second-choice striker.

"We are trying to get a player that a manager told 'You will be a second option' for him," said Mourinho.

When asked if Moyes should take the blame, he replied: "Of course."

With or without Rooney, the Portuguese says he will have enough to contend with when he takes on the the reigning Premier League champions, even though Sir Alex Ferguson is no longer at the helm.

"In my first time at Chelsea, they had Roy Keane, [Paul] Scholes, players with big history there," he said. "Now they still have players from my time, like [Rio] Ferdinand, [Nemanja] Vidic, [Ryan] Giggs, and they have a mix with very good young players.

"With that winning culture, that makes the basis of big clubs. And they are a big club for many, many years. They have everything."

Mourinho, who won twice at United in his first spell in charge at Chelsea, said his special relationship with Ferguson has remained strong during his six years away from England.

"In the same way he told me he was going to retire and I kept secret on that, I also told him I was coming in this direction," said Mourinho.

"Not definitely, because I couldn't say that. It was not done and I had a contract with Madrid and I had to be free of that. But at the same time he knew I wanted to come to Chelsea."

Mourinho was not aware Moyes was in line for the Old Trafford job, but he was not shocked that Ferguson recommended his fellow Scot.

"Everybody in this country knows the job he was doing at Everton, so for me not at all was it a surprise," Mourinho said.