Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said he was confused by relegation-threatened Norwich's tactics as his side's fading title hopes were dealt a severe blow by a goalless draw with the Canaries at Stamford Bridge.

Neil Adams' side sat three points off safety before kick-off, knowing 17th-placed Sunderland would have a game in hand even after Sunday's match, but Mourinho felt they did not play like that was the case.

'We had one team that needed three points to survive and they didn't play to win,' the Portuguese said. 'We tried everything but at the end of the day we knew we had no chance of being champions. We knew we needed a point to finish in the group stages of the Champions League (by securing third place). That is no trophy for us, but it was important to finish third.'

Mourinho preferred to laugh rather than cry after watching his side's slim Premier League title hopes fade further as the point saw them concede further ground to Manchester City and Liverpool.

He lamented referee Neil Swarbrick's decision not to award Eden Hazard a penalty when Ryan Bennett swiped wildly at the Belgium forward. Mourinho rushed to his office in the Stamford Bridge tunnel to confirm his initial suspicions that a spot-kick should have been awarded.

Mourinho said: 'I saw it in the game, but to confirm I had a quick run to my office and I arrived in time to watch (the replay) and then go back to the dug-out laughing. Why the laughter? Because I can't cry.'

As for his side drawing a blank, the Chelsea boss added: 'Our strikers are good strikers, but are players with some specific qualities.

'They are not the kind of players who in five square metres, with three or four players around, who can get the ball, dribble on, see the space and shoot.

'So when the team is in a difficult situation they are not able to, normally, resolve the situation for us.'