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Chelsea game will be a big tell for Martinez

Roberto Martinez admits that today's clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge will be hugely instructive in how his team measures up in their chase for a Champions League place.

The Spaniard has challenged his players to learn from their setback at Tottenham two weeks ago where they dominated the match but still ended up losing by a solitary goal by Emmanuel Adebayor.

“The game we have at the weekend is going to tell us a lot," Martinez says. "[O]nly when you get in a match against teams that are competing in the Champions League do you get a clear idea how far away you are.

“Stamford Bridge is one of the hardest places to go and get three points, and I think it's going to be a terrific measurement for ourselves after the disappointment that we had at White Hart Lane."

Chelsea haven't lost at home all season, although they came very close against West Bromwich Albion, a team that hasn't travelled well this season, in November so Martinez is under no illusions about the size of the task. As usual, he welcomes the challenge, though.

“Chelsea have got terrific home form with this manager, and not just this season. It's an incredible challenge but probably internally we need that," he continues.

“When you're a manager you know where you are in terms of your plan, so obviously a manager will always give you a view from that position."

Though the manager expects to learn much about this team from the game, he does not think the result will make or break their top-four aspirations either way:

“We need to aim high. We've got 13 games and it's a specific league now within the campaign. Clearly the margins are very small.

“The points difference between being in the top four now is still an achievable aim for the teams in fifth, sixth and seventh so we're really going to give everything we've got.”

Quotes sourced from Liverpool Echo

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