Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson says his side will take on Chelsea with a spring in their step at a sold-out Riverside on Sunday.
Boro have taken points from their recent visits to Arsenal and Manchester City, either side of a first home win of the season against Bournemouth, and that, according to Gibson, has sent confidence soaring.
"The results have given us a lot of confidence," Gibson told Boro's official website. "The Arsenal game in particular felt like a bit of a turning point.
"We followed that up with a big win against Bournemouth. Then against City we always felt like we were in the game, and Marten [de Roon] bulleted in that header.
"In the Premier League, you relish these opportunities.
"These are the kind of teams you've grown up watching on the telly, scoring goals on Match of the Day.
"Diego Costa, for example, is the kind of opponent you look forward to as a great challenge.
"That's why we want to be in this league. We're happy if people write us off against teams like this. It gives us that extra motivation to prove people wrong.
"It might have taken us a little bit of time to adapt to the Premier League but now I think we've remembered our identity. We've been difficult to break down, we're frustrating teams, and we're gaining points.
"Hopefully we can maintain those standards."
