Jose Mourinho acknowledges Tottenham are suffering a confidence crisis, even as he attempts to keep his side on an even keel ahead of hosting Chelsea.
Spurs have won just two of their past nine Premier League games and lost 1-0 at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday.
That stretch has seen Mourinho's men go from title contenders to sixth place, 11 points off the pace.
They looked particularly shorn of belief in the first half against Brighton, as Mourinho recognised.
"Football is full of examples of teams and players individually being in an incredible moment of confidence and in other periods they are suffering from self-esteem, a bad result, a bad performance," he said.
"You see good teams look like bad teams and vice versa. So I think that it's just human feelings. As a coach I always try to fight against that. I always try.
"In my personal case, a victory doesn't put me in paradise and a defeat doesn't put me in hell, and I try to pass all of that to the players."
Chelsea know all about players lacking confidence as Timo Werner continues to struggle at Stamford Bridge.
But Thomas Tuchel said: "We have to improve and bring him into situations where he can be decisive for us, and at the same time he was confident to play but it's not something you can demand.
"He has to work hard and maybe he will find an easy goal one metre in front of the line or maybe somebody shoots at his knee and it's deflected in, but he will find that extra one per cent."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Tottenham - Carlos Vinicius
Tottenham must again work out how to play without the injured Harry Kane. They have won just three of their past 13 Premier League matches in which he has been missing. Gareth Bale failed to take his chance in the starting line-up against Brighton, so Carlos Vinicius will now hope for his big opportunity.
Chelsea - Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi has taken on a new wing-back role under Tuchel but had limited defensive responsibilities against Wolves and Burnley. It could be a different story for the nominal winger if he is faced with Son Heung-min on Thursday.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Tottenham have lost two of their past three home league games against Chelsea (W1), more than they had in their previous 11 (W5 D5 L1). They have not lost consecutive home league games against the Blues since a run of three between April 2004 and August 2005.
- Chelsea are unbeaten in their past four Premier League meetings with Spurs (W3 D1), keeping a clean sheet in three of these games.
- Despite being the only side still unbeaten in Premier League London derbies this season, Spurs have won just one of their five such matches so far this term (D4).
- Tottenham lost their previous home Premier League game versus Liverpool (3-1); they have not lost consecutive home games since January 2019, while Mourinho has never lost consecutive home games in the competition.
- Mourinho has not won any of his past six meetings with Chelsea in all competitions (D3 L3). Only against Barcelona (seven between April 2011 and January 2012) has he had a longer winless run against an opponent in his managerial career.
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