Jose Mourinho has told his Chelsea stars not to expect an easy ride against Tottenham on Saturday despite the north London club’s woeful record at Stamford Bridge.
With title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City in FA Cup action this weekend, Mourinho’s team will open up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League if they beat Tim Sherwood’s Spurs.
That outcome looks a decent bet if history is any guide as it is 24 years since Tottenham left Stamford Bridge with three points thanks to Gary Lineker’s winner in February 1990.
Mourinho’s men are unbeaten in 13 league matches, winning 10 and drawing three, but in Tottenham they face a team with designs on a Champions League place and the Blues boss is determined to ensure his players don’t get complacent.
“Maybe it is a coincidence because Tottenham are always a good team, always a difficult opponent,” Mourinho said.
“I don’t remember in my previous years having an easy match against Tottenham. We want to try to win and I believe they want to try the same. We want our top-four position safe.
“And at the moment the biggest threat for that top-four position is Tottenham, because they are fifth and they are the closest team to the top four.
“If we can get a result against them we can say that, almost for sure, our objective of finishing in the top four is in a very good direction.”
Spurs bounced back from a defeat at Norwich by winning 1-0 at home to Cardiff last Sunday and could close to within a point of the top four if they prevail at Stamford Bridge.
Sherwood believes that his side’s status as underdogs could work in their favour.
“Games against Chelsea at the Bridge, Arsenal at the Emirates and Liverpool at Anfield, perhaps the pressure’s off us a little bit and we can cause a surprise,” he said.
“We’re looking to mess up as many other people’s seasons as we can, and enhance ours at the same time.”
Source: MTNFootball
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