"We don't celebrate results on the other pitches" - Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel says 'there's a long way to go' in the title race as Liverpool and Manchester City drop points
Thomas Tuchel has played down the title talk surrounding Chelsea following their win against Newcastle on Saturday. The Blues strolled to a comfortable 3-0 victory, with Reece James scoring a brace and Jorginho getting on the scoresheet as well.
With both Manchester City and Liverpool dropping points, the Blues are now three points clear at the top after ten games. City lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace, while Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Brighton & Hove Albion. The sequence of results means Chelsea are atop the Premier League table with 25 points. They are three clear of Liverpool and five ahead of holders City.
Speaking after the game, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said that the team needs to stay grounded, as the season is a long one. He added that he liked his team's performance on the night, and he's not one to celebrate the results of other teams. The Blues tactician said:
"There has never been a moment where we celebrate results on the other pitches. First of all, it's far too early, and second of all we want to focus on ourselves instead of others."
"What goes around comes around; we don't do this. There's a long way to go. I'm absolutely happy today with our performance off the ball. This was the key for me from the first minute to the last, the effort and discipline."
Chelsea were only one point ahead of Liverpool and two ahead of Manchester City at the start of the night. However, with their rivals dropping points, the Blues moved three clear at the top.
Following their win on Saturday, Chelsea are now unbeaten in their last seven games across competitions.
Four @PremierLeague wins in a row! 👊
Thomas Tuchel's side now travel to Sweden in midweek to take on Malmo on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea are second in Group H, three points behind table-toppers Juventus. So a win on Tuesday would go a long way to help the holders qualify for the knockout stage of the competition.
"Reece shoots like a horse" - Tuchel on Reece James following Chelsea's victory
Tuchel lauded his players for their performances in the Newcastle win, reserving special praise for Reece James.
James put his side in front in the 65th minute after some good work by Callum Hudson-Odoi down the left flank. The full-back then doubled his tally on the night to give Chelsea a two-goal cushion. Jorginho scored a late penalty to rubber-stamp the win.
While praising his team's underrated strikes, Tuchel said about James:
"It's a complex game, and Reece cannot score if Callum does not do the dribbling, and Callum cannot do the dribbling if 'Chilly' (Ben Chilwell) isn't opening the space. Our strikers are sometimes sacrificing to create chances and spaces for others. We certainly don't need to exercise shooting because Reece shoots like a horse."
⚽️⚽️ Reece James
2 goals in 1st 61 PL apps
3 goals in last 2 PL apps
He is now Chelsea's top PL scorer this season with 4 goals https://t.co/vWqogLOAuE
The Blues next face Burnley at home on Saturday, where they will look to consolidate their lead atop the Premier League table.