Poyet challenges players to cause Chelsea upset
Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet has urged his players to cause an upset and inflict Chelsea's first loss of the Premier League season.
Chelsea have made a stunning start to the campaign on all fronts, with Tuesday's 5-0 UEFA Champions League thrashing of Schalke the latest reminder of the many talents available to boss Jose Mourinho.
They sit six points clear at the top of the table and travel to Sunderland for their next assignment on Saturday.
Poyet's side may be languishing in 14th in the table, but they are unbeaten in three - and have happy memories of their last clash against Chelsea.
Sunderland, who knocked Chelsea out of the League Cup in December, won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in April as part of their remarkable march to survival.
That result ended Chelsea's 77-match unbeaten record at home in the Premier League and Poyet has challenged his players to confound the odds again.
"If you win every game you get stronger and you get that feeling in the team that you can play badly and still win and at least get a draw," Poyet said.
"But the next team is the one who has the opportunity to stop them somehow and everybody is going to want to take that chance - and now the opportunity is for us."
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Poyet, who was also realistic about the "challenge" of playing Chelsea, does not believe Mourinho has set his side the target of going through the season undefeated.
"There are plenty of games to go," he added.
"I don't believe the aim for Chelsea right now is to not lose a game.
"I think it is to win every trophy and if they need to lose one or two games. I don't think they are going to be too bothered about it."