Enzo Maresca has surprisingly admitted that Chelsea are not the favourites in their clash against Tottenham Hotspur despite sitting eight points ahead of their rivals in the Premier League.
Chelsea go into Sunday's match as the leaders of the pack chasing Liverpool in the league, sitting second, level on points with Arsenal but ahead on goal difference.
Despite this, Maresca has constantly told members of the English media that his Chelsea team are not in a title race due to their project under the Italian being in it's infancy.
With Liverpool seven points ahead of the Blues, Chelsea could reduce the gap to just four due to the Reds' match against Everton being called off after strong winds on Merseyside.
A win against Spurs is not a formality, but after a 4-1 triumph last season, confidence should be high for Maresca's men.
Speaking to the press ahead of the huge game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Maresca has taken the bold move of playing down Chelsea's chances.
Chelsea beat Spurs 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season.
Chelsea beat Spurs 4-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last season. / IMAGO / Sportimage
As reported by The Mirror, Maresca said: "We are not favourites, I'm sorry.
"They are playing in European competition like us, we are there but it's not because now we are second in the table that we are favourites - absolutely not."
The head coach continued to send a warning to his team, telling them that they must work hard in order to reach there potential.
"The only thing that I don't allow, not one of them in the squad, no matter who it is, is to drop in terms of intensity and in terms of working hard."Because the only way to reach something is if you work very hard, day by day. I've said this squad is full, full, full of talent.
"If you put 25 players in this room and you closed your eyes and picked one, you're going to pick one full of talent but that's not enough.
"I f you don't put together more things, you are not going to win games and to have a good moment. This is what they have to understand. Fortunately, at the moment, they are all aware of that."
This comes after Maresca openly criticised Noni Madueke's performances in training recently and previously asked Reece James to work on his leadership skills.
Madueke hit back after being dropped against Aston Villa and did his talking on the pitch, netting in Chelsea's 5-1 win over Southampton in midweek.