Chelsea, without a shadow of doubt, have been the best team in the Premier League this season by distance. Their dominance can be reflected by their nine-point gap at the top, which can be further increased to 12 if they manage to beat Burnley at Turf Moor on Sunday.
The best thing about this Chelsea under Anontio Conte has been their self-belief that they can beat any team and even achieve a point when things are not going right for them against tougher opponents. Chelsea might not have looked might impressive against Liverpool, which ended 1-1, but came back with a bang to defeat Arsenal 3-1.
They are a confident unit and with big players like Eden Hazard and Diego Costa stepping up their game this season, they have looked unstoppable. Even if they fail to shine, someone or the other always steps up a gear, which is a hallmark of a great team.
Conte, despite Chelsea's great run in the league, does not want his players to relax against any opponents including their Sunday's opponent Burnley.
"I like to keep always the right tension in my players, above all when I know you are coming from a good win and it could be relaxed," Chelsea official website quoted Conte as saying.
"I try to avoid this and work together with my players to sometimes find the solution to increase the tension before the game and during the training sessions. This is a path to improve your winning mentality."
On paper, Chelsea look a superior and in-form team. They should cruise towards another three points, but Burnley cannot be taken too lightly. Burnley have shown that they can deliver a few surprises, as they have already defeated teams like Liverpool and defending champions Leicester City, and also made life tough for Arsenal.
However, the Blues thumped three goals past then when the two teams met in August. Manager Sean Dyche believes his side has improved since that loss, and are a quality side at home.
"I think we have morphed into a stronger unit now. There are no guarantees about playing teams like this but, beyond this result, I think we're a stronger unit and I think we've got a bit more experience and a bit more knowledge about what the league's about," club''s official website quoted Dyche as saying.
"I think every game in the Premier League is a test. It's fair to say these are so strong at the moment, it's probably the biggest challenge we've had in that sense. They are top of the league for a reason, and that many points clear. But every game is a challenge. We can't under-estimate anyone and we don't."
Chelsea have always stood firm against all sorts of challenges and this confident Burnley team will be trying to become the only fourth team to beat Chelsea in the league this season.
When to Watch Live
Burnley vs Chelsea is scheduled for a 7 pm IST (1.30pm GMT, 8.30am ET) start. TV and live streaming information are as follows in various countries.
India: TV: Star Sports Select HD1. Live Streaming: Hotstar.
UK: TV: Sky Sports 1. Live Streaming: Sky Sports Go.
USA: TV: NBCSN, Telemundo. Live Streaming: NBC Sports Live.
Australia: TV: Optus Sport. Live Streaming: Optus Online.
Middle East, Thailand and North Africa: TV: Bein Sports Arabia. Live Streaming: Bein Sports Connect.
Malaysia: TV: Astro SuperSport.
