Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is backing striker Alvaro Morata to lead the line when his unbeaten side visits Tottenham when Premier League action returns on Saturday.
Since his arrival from Real Madrid for £60m at the start of last season, the former Juventus hitman has struggled to find the back of the net consistently.
Morata started this term by failing to score in his first nine appearances, but he has scored five goals since.
And despite missing a golden chance for Spain in a friendly against Bosnia at the weekend, coach Sarri is positive that the 26-year-old is good enough to start for his title contenders.
The Italian says: “Morata is a quality player, fast and technically gifted.
“He’s a sensible person and the difficulties had hurt him.
LOOKING FOR GAME: Olivier Giroud. Photo: MARTIN MEISSNER/AP
“The results and the quality of our football are positive.
“[We are] 18 games without a loss in such a competitive reality show that we’re on the right track.
“He’s a sensible person and the difficulties had hurt him.
“The results and the quality of our football are positive.”
Morata’s competition for a starting berth in the Blues attack, Olivier Giroud, meanwhile, is hoping to change his boss’s mind.
The former Arsenal man has scored twice against Spurs in the north London derby and he is confident he can make a contribution.
He adds: “Of course, I am a competitor and I would like more playing time.
“But I am in a very big club, with very big players.
“The coach has introduced healthy competition.
“Morata started again, he played well.
“It is true that we were having issues in the effectiveness department, he scored, and things are going better.”