New Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has accused his rival managers of being afraid to talk up their team's title chances.
Mourinho did not mention any names, but his comments come after Claudio Ranieri and Jurgen Klopp played down their team's credentials as challengers for the 2016/17 Premier League crown, while Arsene Wenger has also said in the past that many sides are in with a shout for the title this season.
However, Mourinho sung a different note in his pre-match press conference: "we feel that we are candidates to win the title," the Special One said.
"We know that not one or two or three more than that have the same ambitions. We cannot speak differently. We want to fight for the title. At the end of the season we are not champs because someone is better than us then great, that's football.
"But at Man United Football Club you cannot say differently, we have to fight for the title.Not many more think the same way as us but they are afraid to say it. They prefer to play a defensive game in words.
Jose Mourinho says many Premier League teams think they can win the title but are too afraid to say it publicly https://t.co/ove7tfzlS0
"They prefer to say or to hide or to play defensively with the words, that's not our way. I don't think that's Man United. I think Man United has to say we want to win the title.
"We have all the respect for the others and maybe we don't win, maybe we arrive end of season and happy to finish top four. It depends on how season goes. But in this moment when I speak to you I speak to my players too, and I cannot speak differently."
After a difficult three years, Mourinho has also reassured fans that things will be different under him.
"We are not here to have fun or enjoy the sunny weather. We are to work and to give everything for the club. That's the way. That we promise."