Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says the 5-3 away defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on January 1 was a turning point for his side.
On November 22, the Blues enjoyed an eight-point advantage over Manchester City, only to lose two and draw two of their next eight games.
And the Portuguese says the White Hart Lane defeat was a wake-up call for his players.
"During the season we had some key moments, for good and bad reasons," Mourinho explained.
"The defeat against Tottenham on 1 January, which left us on equal points with the champions having lost a seven or eight-point advantage, was a key moment because it was a big test for our mentality, emotional balance, character and personality.
"I would choose that negative moment as an important point for us.
"The education I give to these guys and the way they grow up is by doing anything to try to reach an objective.
"Keep the focus in training, keep the motivation in every match, it doesn't matter about the opponent, whether it's a big one or a small one. Play with the same intensity and desire.
"So when you reach your objective it's hard to keep them at this level. They are competitive animals. It's like the predators when they hunt, afterwards they relax a bit.
"It's the last match at home, a place where normally we get positive results, a big day for us with getting our hands on the trophy, so the guys will try everything to win the match."
