Tottenham vs. Chelsea: Jose Mourinho's Key Comments from Pre-Match Presser

Jose Mourinho insisted he will not demand any transfers from the Chelsea board in the January window ahead of the Blues' Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The struggling defending champions have been heavily linked with strikers Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy recently as Diego Costa's poor form has been a problem for Chelsea in the current campaign, per the Mirror.

Mourinho played down the links to the Premier League duo but did not completely rule out making any transfer in January, per the Mirror's Ben Curtis: "These are stories [on Vardy and Kane] that start the 1st September, when the market closes. I know which players are possible. [But] I will not ask the board. I will go with the players we have. It depends on the club, the club’s needs, it depends on many factors. But I’m not focused on the market."

Chelsea beat Norwich City 1-0 last time out to claim only their second win in seven Premier League matches.

Their poor start to the season has effectively ruled them out of the title race as they currently lie 15th in the Premier League, with Mourinho stating the club's current aim was to get to a position where they could "smell the top end of the league", per Curtis.

The 52-year-old is looking for further improvement from his side following the Norwich victory and Tuesday's 4-0 Champions League defeat of Maccabi Tel Aviv, per the Mirror's John Cross:

A win against Spurs is essential at White Hart Lane as Chelsea need to string a run of wins together to have any chance of finishing the season in the top four.

Mauricio Pochettino's men are in terrific form and have not lost a league game since the opening day of the season.

Chelsea are likely to be without captain John Terry for the clash as he is a major doubt according to Mourinho, per football writer Miguel Delaney:

Last season's corresponding fixture resulted in a thrilling 5-3 victory for the north London outfit, and Mourinho will be hoping to avoid a repeat performance on Sunday.

But Spurs will be hugely motivated for the clash as they could potentially move to within two points of the top of the table with a win, as league-leaders Leicester City play second-placed Manchester United on Saturday.

Mourinho believes the high-flying Foxes should be considered as title contenders, surely an indication that Spurs are also in with a chance of Premier League triumph, per Delaney:

Chelsea could dent those hopes on Sunday, but Tottenham are undoubtedly favourites for the derby clash given their vastly superior form and their home advantage.