Chelsea are hanging on to Tottenham's coattails by their fingertips... but still believe they can secure a Champions League place ahead of London rivals Spurs

 

Chelsea against Tottenham will always be a ferocious London derby on geography alone, but the importance of this match has become about Champions League qualification - a fact not lost on Jose Mourinho's players as they find themselves in the unfamiliar position of trailing their rivals by 10 points.

Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs are the form team, unbeaten in the Premier League since their opening day defeat by Manchester United and posing a real challenge to break into the top four party for the first time in four years.

Conversely, Mourinho is overseeing the worst Chelsea start to a campaign in the Roman Abramovic era. Rather than Spurs being merely an awkward opponent in their charge for the title, as has been custom over the past decade, they are now being seen as a real threat for their chances of Champions League qualification.

'They'll be one of our main rivals,' goalkeeper Asmir Begovic said. That in itself is a hugely confident statement to make from a side who are hanging to Tottenham's coattails by the very tip of their thumb and forefinger. Such is the expectation at Stamford Bridge from a sustained period of domination over their rivals that sitting 15th in the table — 10 places behind Spurs in fifth — they still believe they can qualify for the Champions League ahead of them.

'I think Tottenham are contenders every year for the top four,' added Begovic. 'They're a big club, a good team. If they play to their potential they're always contenders for the top four.'