Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has claimed that it is still too early to assess his side's targets for the season.

The Blues thrashed Manchester United 4-0 in their last league outing and will head into Sunday's match against Southampton knowing that victory would lift them back to within one point of the top three.

Former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson neglected to include Chelsea in his five predicted teams to challenge for the title, but Conte believes that it is too early to discuss potential contenders.

"It's very difficult to tell now our target. Because it's early and in these games, we had difficulty against Arsenal and Liverpool. For this reason it's important not to look at the table. It's important to understand this type of work we're doing now is good to improve and to become a strong team. A bit of time in the future, yes, after I think eight, 10 [more] games, I can tell our target," he told reporters.

"I respect a lot what [Ferguson] said, but I know that we are working very well. I think now we are now in a good way to improve a lot and to become a team that can stay [in contention] until the end to get something. Our ambition must be always to play to win every game. Always. It's important. I try to transfer this to my players in every moment, in every day, every week, in every game. We must be ambitious. But to be ambitious you must work a lot.

"I'm very happy for the work that we are doing. And I'm sure that if we continue in this way, we can have good satisfaction for our work. It's important now to be focused on the work during the training session, on the game, game by game and to try to improve in every game. And to be ambitious, to work for the maximum always. You can reach this (aim) or not, but it's important to work a lot with this target."

Chelsea have won their last three Premier League games without conceding a goal.