Tottenham 0 – 0 Chelsea: Jose Mourinho predicts unbeaten run following shut out at Spurs
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes his side can put together an unbeaten run following what he described as their best performance of the season in a 0-0 draw at Tottenham.
Mourinho welcomed a return of the trademark defensive performance that has too often deserted Chelsea this season and argues it could kick-start a climb up the table.
“I think we can go into December with enthusiasm because I am convinced that by the end of December we will be in a different position than we are now and we will shorten the difference to the top teams,” said the Chelsea boss.
“Playing the way we played, I wouldn’t be surprised if in the next 10 matches we don’t lose one. I wouldn’t be surprised if we go onto a run of good results, because the team was a team.”
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The Chelsea boss dismissed rumours of a falling out with the dropped Diego Costa, who appeared disgruntled with his role as an unused substitute.
“I felt Eden could play for 90 minutes, he was so good, so dangerous, so difficult for them to get at him that I don’t want to change the team," he explained. "It was his [Hazard’s] best game of the season.”
In contrast, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino was “a little bit disappointed” with only a point but argued such a response suggested how far his team had come.
“It’s good that you get the feeling that Chelsea was a small team and Tottenham can win every game we can play,” said the Tottenham boss.
It was Hazard who had the first of few chances in the match, the converted frontman heading over from an outswinging Oscar cross after 20 minutes.
Spurs went close soon after when Heung-Min Son diverted Harry Kane’s cross straight into the arms of a grateful Asmir Begovic.
It was one of the few occasions the Chelsea stopper was called into action, such was the strength of the blue shield in front of him.
Minutes after he sprawled low to his left to push a Moussa Dembele daisy-cutter wide, yet the Belgian’s shot from outside the box was typical of Spurs’ efforts on goal, just two of which came from inside the area – their lowest total so far this season.
Yet despite his side’s successful shut out, Mourinho claimed afterwards that it was Spurs who “deserved even more credit” with the clean sheet as Chelsea “were the more dangerous team and had the better chances”.
They came closest in the second-half – once again through Hazard who forced forced Hugo Lloris to produce the save of the game to keep out a low left-footed volley from inside the box.