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Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea’s match against Manchester United is the type of match that made him respect the Premier League from afar, and he is delighted to compete for the win in such a renowned matchup now that he has arrived.
He leads his Blues team north tomorrow evening to face Manchester United in the Premier League at Old Trafford in the latest version of a match he regards to be one of the most important in the world, with a rich history created in prior title confrontations.
This season’s meetings between the two may not have a trophy on the line, with both sides aiming for a top-four finish after Liverpool and Manchester City built a significant lead at the top of the table, and our opponents struggling for form in sixth, but Tuchel’s excitement at being involved in a Chelsea-Manchester United match at Old Trafford hasn’t dimmed.
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“We would love to be and Manchester United would love to be in a title decider but unfortunately there are two other teams in red and blue who have a word to say and over the last years made their point strongly,’ he said.
“So we have to accept it and we have to do everything to try to close the gap and Man United do as well.’
“I’m personally very happy to play against Man United at Old Trafford.
“For me it’s still one of the biggest stages, one of the biggest stadiums, one of the biggest clubs and occasions to play.
“I arrive with a strong club with a strong team, so this is the best way to arrive as a coach and I’m very happy to have this match and it will always be a big match for me, no matter which position and what current form they are in.
“So we try to prepare in the best way possible and try to win the match tomorrow because Chelsea and Man U is for me, as a football fan and a big fan of the Premier League, a big match.
“I would always watch it so being part of it now is very nice.’
After the Red Devils lost three of their last four Premier League games, Tuchel issued a warning to those who would write them off, stating that a team with such a good group and vast resources at their disposal can never be written out.
“They played a huge part in last year’s campaign in being second.
“So for me Man U is one of the biggest clubs, a very famous club, a very successful club and one of the biggest stages that you can play.
“That is why I can only repeat I am very grateful, very excited to play there and to arrive with a strong team because we arrive to play for the victory and this is a great feeling.
“This is how I see it and this is why we prepare in the best possible way.
“We don’t reflect so much on their situation and what’s going on in and around the club.
“We focus on their last matches, we should not get confused by the lack of points, lack of results.
“For me their squad is full of quality and we need to take care of it on the pitch.
Despite their current struggles, United has proven to be a difficult nut to crack for Chelsea in the past, with the Blues failing to win a match at Old Trafford since 2013.
Tuchel, on the other hand, would like to correct that reality tomorrow, claiming that such history does not enter his mind prior to games.
“It’s always a good time for a win,’ added Tuchel.
“No matter if you won the last match or the last two against the same opponent, the best time for a win is always the next match.
“It just shows that it’s not easy and these kind of streaks exist in football, that against some opponents it’s a bit harder to get victories.
” Obviously Man Utd is that kind of opponent for us but with all due respect that we have for the history and for the occasion and for the quality in general at Man U, we will try to win and we will arrive to win and we will prepare to win this match.
“Then we will see what questions are asked and what the game demands and how the momentum in the game shifts or not.
“It’s not so much like now or never, because now they are struggling with results recently. We honestly prepare all the time to have the feeling now or never, in every single match.”
Tuchel Excited To Play Against Man United In Old Trafford (africatopsports.com)