Friday 27 November 2015 22:37, UK
Jose Mourinho says Tottenham can win the Premier League while insisting his own Chelsea side must play as if they are fighting for the title.
The Blues travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday to take on an in-form Spurs side who have not lost in the league since their opening game of the season against Manchester United.
Mourinho says he has been impressed by Mauricio Pochettino's side, who come into the game four points behind top of the table Leicester City, and believes they have what it takes to challenge for their first league title since 1961.
"When I watch them play it's no surprise," Mourinho said. "If they tell players or managers that they are fighting for the title I will not laugh.
"The team is very good. Manager is good, players are good. Good stability, playing well. I think a really, really, really good team. They have this season an even better team than last season.
"I can imagine, with the stability they are showing, that sooner or later - I think sooner - they will be there, or win trophies or in a Champions League position."
And Mourinho reckons Spurs' chances of making the next step are helped by a lack of expectation in comparison to the usual top-four suspects.
He said: "There is no pressure on them, like it is in the other four or five top teams to reach important positions. Nobody speaks about them as title contenders, like they speak about Man City, Man United.
"They have great conditions without the same pressure other clubs have to do magnificent work. They lose a couple of matches and nothing happens.
"They are in the Europa League, and, in the group phase, to be fair, nobody cares about Europa League. They go smoothly, step by step. They build a team."
In contrast to Tottenham, defending champions Chelsea are not in their usual perch near the top of the league after a disastrous start to the season which represents the most difficult period of Mourinho's managerial career.
The Blues are currently 15th but Mourinho has not given up hope of claiming a European place and hopes his team can fight their way back up the table.
"Our only goal now is to try to get into position where we can smell the top end of the league," Mourinho said.
"We have to play every match as if we are fighting for the title. The reality is that we need points.
"At this moment we are far from the European positions. Every point can make a difference. We've lost so many points already, now we have to fight for them even more."
John Terry is a doubt for the trip to North London after suffering an ankle injury in Tuesday night's Champions League win at Maccabi Tel Aviv but Mourinho says his captain could yet feature.
"I don't want to say that it's impossible that he plays, because maybe he plays and you'll say I was hiding," Mourinho said.
"Today he didn't train but we have a little hope that it's possible."
Midfielder Ramires is a major doubt, too, having missed the Champions League tie with an undisclosed injury sustained in training in Israel on Monday.
Cesc Fabregas, though, is fit despite revealing a toe injury after the Maccabi win.
