After Chelsea beat Crystal Palace to win their 11th straight Premier League match of the season, manager Antonio Conte was asked about the next step for his team. That next step, however, did not refer to their next game, against Bournemouth on Dec. 26. It referred to what would be the next big landmark victory for the Italian boss, which could potentially come at White Hart Lane.
If Chelsea keep their current winning run going, they would equal the record for the English top-flight by claiming their 14th successive victory away to Tottenham Hotspur, and Conte was asked if he was aware of what it means.
"If I don't say I'm pleased for this season, I'd be a dishonest man," Conte said with a smile.
It may mean more than just making Conte happy in his debut Premier League season and have a much bigger historical significance altogether. If Chelsea win their next three games, they will have equalled Arsenal's all-time English record of consecutive wins, which Arsene Wenger's side set in 2002. However, since 13 of Arsenal's wins were from the 2001-02 season and one from the 2002-03 season, Conte's side would have the record for a single season and be one further win away from the record.
It would be a significant landmark no doubt. But would it lead to silverware of any kind for the Blues, and will it be enough to set them on their way to a Premier League title?
Chelsea's last three wins have not come against the league's elite -- they faced West Brom, Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace -- and all came with 1-0 scorelines. That recent run at least suggests things are getting tighter and that opposition sides are perhaps starting to work them out. It could be tough to get to that 14th game, especially with Diego Costa and N'Golo Kante serving suspensions.
The really big question, however, is what happens when the run inevitably ends, regardless of whether they get the record or not. There can be a danger of such teams suddenly suffering a crisis of confidence in situations where they had been getting results while barely thinking about it, as happened to Arsenal when their 49-game unbeaten run was ended by Manchester United in October 2004.
The dynamics of that Arsenal streak were different to a streak like this, though, and Chelsea have so far been similar instead to six different sides since 1945 in winning at least 11 consecutive games. So, what lessons are there from those teams? Did they suffer that crisis when the run ended? And more important, did they win the league?
Tottenham Hotspur -- 1960-61
Wins in a row: 11
When it happened: Matches 1 to 11 of 42; Aug. 20 1960 to Oct. 1 1960
Did they win the title: Yes
How run was ended: A 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City
Next few games: Four successive wins and a defeat at Sheffield Wednesday
Breakdown: Spurs started the season in stunning fashion, and barely stopped. They are the only team in this list to have started their run earlier than Chelsea, and were so strong that it seemed the title was already going to be theirs by October. They didn't just win the league, though -- they also won the only double of Spurs' history by also winning the FA Cup.
Liverpool -- 1981-82
Wins in a row: 11
When it happened: Matches 27 to 37 of 42; March 9, 1982 to May 1, 1982
Did they win the title: Yes
How run was ended: A 2-2 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur
Next few games: Two wins and two draws to finish off a title-winning season
Breakdown: One of the most famous run-ins in English history, as sixth-placed Liverpool suddenly turned on the style to overtake five teams and finish first.
Manchester United -- 2008-09
Wins in a row: 11
When it happened: Matches 17 to 27; Dec 26, 2008 to March 4, 2009
Did they win the title: Yes
How run was ended: A 4-1 home defeat to Liverpool
Next few games: Another bad 2-0 defeat at Fulham, followed by seven successive wins
Breakdown: A winning streak built on the best defensive run ever seen in the Premier League, as the first nine victories crossed over with 14 consecutive clean sheets. Blackburn Rovers scored in a 2-1 defeat to finally beat United's defence, before Liverpool ended their winning streak in spectacular circumstances with a 4-1 thrashing at Old Trafford. An injury-hit United then lost 2-0 at Fulham but, just as it looked as if they were going to collapse, they won seven successive games -- triggered by a stoppage-time 3-2 victory over Aston Villa to hold off Liverpool and win the title.
Liverpool -- 2013-14
Wins in a row: 11
When it happened: Matches 25 to 35; Feb. 8, 2014 to April 20, 2014
Did they win the title: No
How run was ended: A 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea
Next few games: A 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace after having been 3-0 up, before an inconsequential 2-1 win at home to Newcastle United
Breakdown: Liverpool went on a sensational winning run to unexpectedly force themselves into the title race, only to suffer a notorious blow-up once they looked like favourites. Jose Mourinho's Chelsea frustrated them to claim a dramatic 2-0 win at Anfield, before Liverpool then squandered a 3-0 lead at Selhurst Park to also miss out on the title.
Manchester United -- 1999-2000, 2000-01
Wins in a row: 12
When it happened: Matches 28 to 38 of 38; March 11, 2000 to May 14, 2000, and then match 1 of 38 on Aug. 20, 2000
Did they win the title: Yes
How run was ended: A 1-1 draw away to Ipswich Town
Next few games: One draw and then three wins
Breakdown: United were the reigning European champions when the run started, but they were actually knocked out of the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage by Real Madrid in the middle of it, only to take their anger out on the rest of their opponents by winning every league game until the end of the season and also claiming the title with ease. They also won the opening match of the next season, against Newcastle United, before slumping to two draws.
Arsenal -- 2001-02
Wins in a row: 14
When it happened: Matches 26 to 38; Feb. 10, 2002 to May 11, 2002, and then match 1 of 38 on Aug. 18, 2002
Did they win the title: Yes
How run was ended: A 2-2 draw away to West Ham United
Next few games: Six wins and a draw from the next seven
Breakdown: This was the run that actually prompted Arsene Wenger -- to some initial ridicule -- to say Arsenal could go a season unbeaten. They went into overdrive at the end of the 2001-02 season, winning even more than the 2003-04 "Invincibles," by claiming the FA Cup as well as the title.