Cesc Fabregas Says Jose Mourinho Has Edge over Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas believes Blues boss Jose Mourinho has the "edge" over every other manager he's worked with. Considering the Spanish midfielder has won silverware with the likes of Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola, this is some compliment.

Fabregas has been central to Chelsea's Premier League title success during his return to England, racking up 17 assists and three goals in 32 performances before the trophy was secured, per WhoScored.com. He was under-appreciated during his previous spell at Barcelona, failing to consistently make an impact alongside legendary midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta.

However, Mourinho's mentality and faith in the player has changed all that, as noted by Fabregas: "He just loves winning," per Matt Barlow of the Daily Mail. "I'm not saying other managers I've played under don't, but he has some edge that goes above anyone else I have ever been with. The mentality shows in every single training session or game. I now understand why he has won what he has won in his career."

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Squawka and WhoScored provided a breakdown of Fabregas' terrific year:

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Fabregas has been given a creative role behind Diego Costa, a player whose clinical nature in front of goal has helped the former Arsenal man rack up so many assists. With Eden Hazard to his left and Willian to his right, there's always runners to sprint onto his through balls. Mourinho has placed responsibility on Fabregas' vision and ability to play a key pass, something the player is grateful for: 

"He makes me feel important in the team. He allows me to play the way I feel," said Cesc, per Barlow. "I feel like that he trusts me. He makes me feel things I didn't feel for a while: to feel important, to play every game, sometimes he allows me to give speeches."

Prior to Chelsea's recent 0-0 draw with Arsenal, Mourinho admitted how pivotal Fabregas is to his side's success, as reported by Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC:

Arsenal fans will no doubt have watched their former player's celebration with a tinge of regret after Chelsea secured the title against Crystal Palace. Wenger built his Gunners team around the midfielder before selling him to Barca.

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It's taken Arsenal years of purchasing similar-styled playmakers to find an effective combination, but there's still the sense Cesc would have developed into a top-quality leader and captain at the club. Mourinho spotted the player's availability from his troubles at the Camp Nou, and he allowed the player to reach his best again.

Chelsea cantered toward Premier League and Capital One Cup success as a result. Most worryingly for the rest of England's top clubs, Fabregas and his west London team-mates still have plenty of room to improve under a manager who has made a habit of winning wherever he goes.