The former champions have not been out of the headlines recently following the shock departure of Jose Mourinho and the installation of Avram Grant as his successor.

Add to that the probable absences of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba from the Chelsea line-up and Sanchez was convinced he had plenty of cause for optimism despite his side's own indifferent start to the season.

He said: "Given their situation some teams will get points there. It is a great opportunity for us to go there and get a win.

"We are capable of scoring goals - all the stats prove that - so if we can keep a clean sheet, and we will probably have to do that against Chelsea, then anything is possible.

"We are as potent an attacking force in this league than any team.

"It is a big ask but it is something to have a go at. It is a great time for us to have a go. We go there in decent form, confidence is OK and we are due a little bit of good fortune."

Sanchez did not subscribe to the view that Grant was an unworthy successor to Mourinho, whose three years in charge had seen Chelsea go unbeaten in the league and the title claimed twice.

He said: "You want to compete against the best so I would have loved to have had a go at Mourinho's record while he was still manager.

"He (Grant) has won his league, to be fair to him, with a team in Israel but obviously that is not the same level as here.

"He did a great job in charge of Israel in the World Cup and to go undefeated in a qualifying campaign in a group containing France was a fantastic achievement so you have to give him credit for that.

"So I don't think it is big a mystery as people have been making out. He has been in and around the Premier League for the last three seasons, at Portsmouth and then Chelsea, so he has not seen anything he has not seen before.

"If he had come straight from the Israeli league to this then it might be a bit daunting but I don't see it being daunting to him at all."

Sanchez was critical of referee Steve Bennett after a goal was disallowed incorrectly during the midweek Carling Cup tie with Bolton that the Trotters went on to win.

The former Wimbledon player insisted he had no special worries ahead of tomorrow's clash but added that it was now time for the Premier League to use officials from across the globe.

He said: "I'm sure there will be no problem going to Chelsea tomorrow. If you referee in the Premier League you are at the top of the tree - or are supposed to be.

"But we have foreign players, foreign managers and foreign back-room staff yet we don't have any foreign referees. I have never understood why it is such a closed shop.

"There are some great referees throughout the world that should be looked at. (Pierluigi) Collina retired at 45. He could have had a season or two in the Premier League."