In the middle of winter, draws against the likes of Burnley, Everton, Wolves, Brighton (twice) and defeat at West Ham were damaging to our title challenge, but our head coach points out that performances do not always match results, both back then as well as now.‘In those earlier games I think we lacked luck and in the last 12 matches we had not always super-impressive performances,’ Tuchel says.

‘We were also sometimes lucky to escape then. Just one example is the away game at Crystal Palace which was not the very best game from us and could have been easily a draw and we scored in the very last minute.‘So it's sometimes like this. We struggled in the period where the gap opened up between Liverpool and City and us. Unfortunately, we struggled with long-term injuries and coronavirus. There was the time when we arrived with 14 players at Wolverhampton, there was a time when coronavirus hit us because players had to isolate for 10 to 12 days, this was the rule, even if they had no symptoms. So we struggled from that but the attitude was always on a very high level.’

Tuchel continues by highlighting that injuries to key players, such as Ben Chilwell and Reece James, have not gone away, and even with the good run of results James was able to give a glimpse of what we have been missing with his impact in the win at Burnley.Regardless of luck, injuries or illness, however, Tuchel has seen an overall improvement between our winter and our spring.‘At the moment we work hard for the luck and we always accept that luck is also needed if you want to have a streak of many wins like we have now, but the mentality is good, the quality is good and after the Club World Cup I felt there's more fluidity, more rhythm in training.‘The guys who did not play increase the level to an incredible level in training in the matchday plus one, and from there I had a good feeling and I'm happy that I was right. We're getting stronger.’

Before Chelsea’s chance to extend our run of victories there is a two-week international break.‘I want for the players who have the chance, that they recharge and disconnect from football because they deserve this. It is very important that they take this possibility to come in with a fresh mindset for the last eight weeks of the season.

‘For the guys with international duties, I hope they have the success they want and come back not injured.

‘Jorginho has an important match, so does Edou, and I surely forget some other guys who play qualifiers for the World Cup. So there is no break at all for them which is a bit concerning, but it's the way it is.’