Chelsea will be hoping their 4-1 victory over ten-man Tottenham Hotspur will be the catalyst for a purple patch in form.
The Blues are currently nine points adrift of fourth-place rivals Arsenal following an inconsistent start to the season, giving themselves a mini mountain to climb.
Of course, when appointing a world-class manager like Mauricio Pochettino and unloading a war chest of funds on a long list of stars, the least Todd Boehly expects is a challenge towards the Champions League spots.
The American businessman has spent over £1bn across three transfer windows and while that is an incomprehensible amount of money to spend without achieving success, it looks as though he's going to dip into his deep pockets once more in January.
Chelsea's striker conundrum requires the most surgery but the importance of replacing the ageing Thiago Silva, who is mooted to depart next summer, shouldn't be understated.
Given Reece James's injury troubles, Malo Gusto has been relied upon at right-back for much of the current campaign, although Pochettino could well land an upgrade in that defensive berth in 2024.
With this in mind, the Argentine should look to reignite the club's pursuit of Denzel Dumfries.
Chelsea transfer news – Denzel Dumfries
According to a report from Calciomercato earlier this week, Chelsea are locked in a battle with Manchester United to sign the Dutch right-back from Inter Milan.
The Blues have expressed a long-standing interest in the 27-year-old having tried to sign him across multiple windows, however, the Serie A giants could reluctantly let him go in January or next summer.
The explosive Dutchman has established himself as one of the best right-backs in world football and that is reflected in Inter's value of the player, with the report stating that the club will demand at least €50m (£43m) for his signature.
While that figure could warn off his potential suitors, Dumfries is reaching the peach of his powers on the domestic and international stage, as demonstrated by his devastating metrics.
Denzel Dumfries style of play
One of the most defining characteristics of Dumfries' game is his attacking output and unique style of play.
The Dutchman isn't content with holding down the fort at the back and likes to actively contribute to his team's offence.
His penchant for driving up and down the field, described by journalist Antonio Mango as a "joy to watch", is simply a breathtaking sight as those lung-bursting surges up the field leave the opposition struggling to contain his relentless running power.
This attacking mindset is the foundation of his assist-making ability and it's this aggressive approach that not only puts pressure on the opposition but also creates ample opportunities for his teammates to score.
Dumfries illuminates this explosive ball-carrying and attacking threat with his superb attacking metrics, placing in the top 1% against his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues in the past year for touches in the attacking box, top 8% for non-penalty xG, top 4% for carries into the penalty area and top 13% for assists per 90, as per FBref.
Touches (Att pen)
3.93 (Top 1%)
Penalty kicks won
0.07 (Top 1%)
Carries into the penalty area
1.05 (Top 4%)
Non-penalty xG
0.12 (Top 8%)
Assists
0.20 (Top 13%)
Progressive passes received
6.67 (Top 14%)
Key passes
1.37 (Top 16%)
Progressive carries
2.72 (Top 22%)
All stats via FBref
As the table above delineates, the flying Dutchman's aggressive approach is backed up by undeniable quality in the final third, posing a constant threat down the right flank through his incisive runs and willingness to take calculated risks.
Those metrics prove that Dumfries wreaks havoc against the opposition, making him a formidable force in the Netherlands's national team, while the former PSV star illuminates that quality by producing consistent statistical excellence on the domestic stage.
Denzel Dumfries' season by numbers
For Inter last term, the assist-making machine conjured up eight attacking returns in 34 appearances in Serie A and ten in the season before – five goals and five assists.
What's more impressive, Dumfries has elevated his game to new heights this season having already posted an exceptional six direct goal contributions in 13 appearances in all competitions, with Gusto, for instance, providing just two goal involvements from his ten outings.
But he doesn't stop there. The Dutchman has consistently averaged 1.4 key passes per game in the Italian top flight, demonstrating his ability to unlock defences with his precise distribution having also posted three big chances created, as per Sofascore – with Gusto, meanwhile, averaging just 0.4 in that regard.
Whilst his game is built on powerfully working his way into promising positions to create chances for his teammates, the £53k per-week prodigy has shown that he is a goal-scoring threat.
As mentioned previously, Dumfries' prominence as an attacking right back is underlined by his high volume of touches in the attacking penalty box, the amount of penalty kicks he wins and his non-penalty xG, but also the fact his tally of goals and assists (six) this term is only bettered by Cole Palmer (seven) in the Chelsea squad,
How Denzil Dumfries compares to Cole Palmer
Since making the £42.5m switch from Manchester City in the summer, Palmer has impressed his manager with how he's seamlessly slotted into his progressive system.
With the Blues suffering from a long list of injury casualties, the Englishman has had to showcase his versatility by slotting into various positions, orchestrating attacks from the right flank and as an attacking midfielder.
Given his tender age and transition into a new environment, Pochettino has been so impressed with how the 21-year-old has taken to his new surroundings, praising him highly.
He told Chelsea's official website: "He showed a great performance with character and personality,"
"We are happy with the way he has arrived. He arrived on the last day of the transfer window but is playing like he’s been here ten years, showing his character and personality."
Palmer's close control and ability to take the ball in tight spaces has flourished under the watchful eye of Pochettino, with the youngster creating the most 'big chances' in the Chelsea squad (five), the second-most key passes per game (1.4) and the second-most shots on target (0.7) in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore.
As noted previously, Dumfries also averaged 1.4 key passes per game and was only just behind the Englishman with regard to 'big chances' created (three), ensuring that it could be argued the defender is almost as creative as the Blues' emerging talisman, despite operating further back.
Therefore, if Pochettino is able to successfully lure the 6 foot 2 powerhouse to Stamford Bridge, the Dutchman and Palmer would be an unstoppable force down Chelsea's right flank for years to come.
That would mean bad news for Gusto, indeed.