There was plenty that Chelsea did well at Wembley in our FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, as we enjoyed the better of the play and the chances for the vast majority of the game.

However, we were not able to make either count, as a number of decent opportunities came and went without the opening goal, before Manchester City struck late on to condemn us to a 1-0 defeat.

As much as he is pleased that we performed impressively against the Premier League leaders and will take plenty of positives away from the match, Mauricio Pochettino knows only too well that the only thing which counts in this sport is goals.

'In football the most important thing is to be clinical and to not concede,' said Pochettino. 'Even if today we compete well, I can’t say that maybe we were the better side, because in football that is difficult to measure.

'But the important thing I think is that we competed. Competing in this way, now we need to take the positive things from the game. This type of group of players need these types of moments and games.

'Now it’s about taking the positive things and trying to keep the things we need and improve the areas we need to improve.

'Now is the time to finish the season in the best way and then of course see how we can do better next season.'

Mauricio also insisted our inability to turn performance into a victory has nothing to do with the players' tactical understanding...

‘Tactically it’s not a problem. You cannot be today good if in the last eight months you didn’t know how to manage all the types of situations. It’s about the whole thing.

'We need time to improve like a team and of course we need to assess. The most important thing now, after nearly 10 months, is how we assess the group and the squad.'

'Then it is to take a decision on the way that we can improve in all of the different areas to be strong and of course to compete better and better and try to reduce the gap to teams like Manchester City, who it is clear are one of the best teams in the world.’

Pochettino also gave his thoughts on the penalty appeal for handball which was turned down early in the second half...

‘I didn't have a great view, from the touchline it was difficult to see if it was a penalty. I was talking to the referee at the end because after Jesus [Perez] and my staff said it was a penalty.

'I said I am not blaming the referee because he didn’t check. Only I said to him why not go to check the penalty on the TV, but the advice from the VAR says it wasn’t a penalty.

'Should we have had a penalty? I think from what I saw after, [nods yes]. But we'll move on.’

He also tried to ease fears that Cole Palmer may have been carrying an injury towards the end of the game...

'It’s normal he’s tired, but I don’t believe he has a problem. We need to check of course tomorrow, but we hope that there is nothing wrong and he is just tired.'