CHELSEA manager Thomas Tuchel has insisted that his side do not have to be extraordinary before they can get a result against Manchester City.
The two Premier League title favourites kick off the sixth round of games on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea looking to open a six-point gap on the champions.
“Before we talk about the results, we need to focus on the input and what we need to deliver,” Tuchel said at his pre-match press conference.
“And then we need to accept that at this kind of level in these kinds of matches, you need the momentum, you need a bit of luck, you need the close decisions on your side – offside or no offside, post and in or post and out – these kinds of things decide it and after the game we can judge what kind of result it is, if it’s deserved or not, and then we can keep on going.
‘Let’s be honest, if we win we will not be crowned as champions then, and if City win, they will not be the champions and we will not be in depression.
“At this kind of level it’s absolutely important that we play with confidence.”
Tuchel’s side defeated Pep Guardiola’s team three times in a row last season, including in the UEFA Champions League final, and the German believes the two teams are evenly matched, although he expects a tough afternoon for his club.
“It is important that we accept the difficulties, that we play through pain and play through fatigue. Then you need to take advantage if you feel the moment to escape the pressure,” he noted.
“If you have in the moment the confidence to find the technical solution, you do it but you need to be very aware of all the solutions because if spaces open against Man City, they open up for only a blink of an eye.
“We don’t need a miracle to compete with them but we need our best performance.”
Chelsea are currently joint-top in the Premier League table with 13 points from five matches, while City are fifth with 10 points.
