Gary Cahill admits he wants Chelsea to break the Premier League record for consecutive victories as they prepare to face Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day.
A run of 11 wins in a row has lifted Chelsea six points clear of nearest challengers Liverpool at the top of the table, leaving Antonio Conte’s men just three victories short of matching the longest winning streak in Premier League history, set by Arsenal across the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.
Conte has repeatedly insisted that he has no interest in statistical records, but Cahill says the prospect of being part of a team that makes Premier League history is a powerful motivator for him.
Asked if he wants Chelsea to break the win record, Cahill told Sky Sports: “Yes. It’s not something we speak about on a daily basis — in fact, I’ve not heard any of the lads talk about it.
“But we know about it, I’m aware of it and of course you want to be involved in teams that break records and do well. The Boxing Day game is a chance for us to [get closer] to that, and it should add extra incentive. We want the three points badly and we want the record.
“Just speaking for myself, I want the record. Why would you not? There’s three points and a record to go for in that game [against Bournemouth] so if you ask me whether I’ll be motivated, I think we’re all in the same boat.”
Chelsea will have to face Bournemouth without top scorer Diego Costa and key midfielder N’Golo Kante, who are both suspended after picking up their fifth yellow cards of the season against Crystal Palace last Saturday.
But Cahill believes the Blues are mentally strong enough to deal with setbacks now as a result of their response to damaging defeats against Liverpool and Arsenal in September, and with last season’s disaster fresh in the collective memory.
“We don’t get complacent because we remind ourselves that after the Arsenal game a few months ago Manchester City were eight points clear and now look where their points have gone? They’ve disappeared in the space of 10, 11 games,” Cahill added. “That’s all you need to remind yourself of.
“Those two games [against Liverpool and Arsenal] were a test of us mentally, to see whether we’d go back into that horrible rut we were in last season. I don’t think last year was anything to do with ability. People are quick to write players off, but a lot of it was mental, wanting to be in the right place and doing the work. You’ve seen the quality this season.”
After facing Bournemouth, Chelsea host Stoke City on New Year’s Eve and then travel to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur four days later for what could be their chance to equal Arsenal’s win record. If they succeed, they will travel to defending champions Leicester City on Jan. 14 looking set a new mark of 15 straight league wins.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate