Jose Mourinho says Chelsea must fight like champions

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his side must "fight for every point" if they are to retain their Champions League berth for next season.

The defending Premier League champions have taken just 14 points from their opening 13 league fixtures and ahead of this weekend's fixtures were sat in 15th place - five points above the relegation zone.

And while Mourinho says his side must play like they are in a title race if they are to secure a top-four finish this season.

"We have to play every match as if we are fighting for the title," said the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan manager.

"But the reality is we need points, the same way we needed last season, when we were top of the table and almost champions and fighting to be champions.

"In this moment we are far from even the European positions. We have to play every game with ambition, with determination.

"Every point until the end of the season can make a difference. We lost so many points already that now we have to fight for every point even more."

Chelsea followed up last weekend's 1-0 win over Norwich with a comfortable 4-0 win away at Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The result in Israel was only the second time this season that the Blues have managed to record successive victories. 

Mourinho will be hoping to make it three wins from three when his side face in form Tottenham at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Spurs have not lost a league game since the opening day of the season and are now only four points behind league leaders Leicester City.

Chelsea go into the game 10 points behind Mauricio Pochettino's side, but Mourinho insists he is happy with the current state of his squad.

The 52 year-old says his focus remains firmly on Chelsea's upcoming busy schedule, and not on the January transfer window.

"We are in November and we are all focused on doing our job the best we can," said Mourinho.

"We are not speaking about players, about buying, about spending. We are thinking about what we can do now.

"Now the only thing we can do until the last day in December is to try to get the maximum points possible - try to arrive at the end of December, half a season played, and try to be in a position where we can smell the top part of the league so we can believe that in the second part of the season we will be able to reach the top positions."