Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said he will need to be at his best to top Premier League rivals Manchester City’s “six-pointer” match against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
League leaders Chelsea top the table with 13 points from their opening five games, three behind Pep Guardiola’s champion City in fifth.
Tuchel, who has claimed a 100% record against City since taking charge of Chelsea, went on to win last season’s Champions League final and FA Cup semi-finals as well as another victory for Guardiola’s side in the Premier League. Don’t underestimate the importance.
“It’s a six-pointer between two teams that are clearly rivals for the top four, but it’s too early (for the title race),” Tuchel told reporters on Friday.
“In the last three games, I see three 50-50 matches… Small details decide, small conditions can give you the advantage, you need a little luck. I expect another 50-50 match tomorrow.
“It doesn’t take a miracle to win, but we need to do our best… It will be one of the biggest tests in European football.”
Tuchel said American forward Christian Pulisic is unavailable with an ankle injury, while England international Mason Mount has also been ruled out after suffering a minor knock during Chelsea’s League Cup win over Aston Villa on Wednesday.
However, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy will open against City after recovering from a hip injury.
Tuchel praised the high standards set by City boss Guardiola, who faced Mainz in the Bundesliga when the Spaniard was in charge of Bayern Munich, but said Chelsea could match the quality of Premier League champions.
“I have the most respect for Pep, I am a huge fan of his influence from the first day of his professional coaching. The impact he has had at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City is my biggest honor, Tuchel said.
He said, “They’ve played at a high level over the years so it’s tough. Within each structure and lineup, there’s a certain pattern… If the position is open, it’s only open for a second. So I say we need to perform at our best, best.
“Things will be tough and I mean it. They have been the benchmark for many years and I am very happy that we have been able to deliver such performance and results consistently. We need to prove that we can perform with the same consistency.”
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