"It’s on us to challenge them" - Thomas Tuchel admits Liverpool and Manchester City have set the standard, plays down Chelsea's chances of winning the Premier League this season

Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged the benchmark Liverpool and Manchester City have set for the Premier League but believes Chelsea can close in on the gap.

When asked if Chelsea were close to Liverpool and Man City, here's how he reacted:

"Maybe for the moment. It is only nine games in. We need to prove it. It is not enough to prove it for nine games, we need to prove it for the season. It will take all of us. It will take all of our courage, all of our effort, all of our discipline. It will simply take all of us. It’s like running a marathon. This league is extremely exhausting.

'We have different competitions. We are up for all competitions and the best outcome in all competitions. We are trying to close the gap. I have no problem in admitting that there was a gap in the last seasons and that Liverpool and City set the standards. They created a certain mentality with their managers together over the years."

Man City have dominated the Premier league for the last five years, having won three titles. Liverpool won the domestic league in 2019-20 and finished the season with 99 points. Manchester City were second with 81 points and Chelsea a distant fourth with 66.

However, Chelsea have cemented themselves as a formidable outfit and are favorites to win their first Premier League title since 2017.

However, Tuchel believes his Blues have a long road ahead with barely a quarter of the league season gone.

Chelsea v Norwich City - Premier League

He further added:

"Like I said many times, Liverpool and City set the standards during the last four or five years and they show how consistent you have to be to collect points in this league which seems to me a fantastic effort what they did. The title race was between the two of them, it’s on us to challenge them.

'We are almost through October only. November is coming. Looking at our table and fixtures in December and January, there is so much to play for."

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Will Chelsea finally lift the Premier League title this season?

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have struggled off late despite being part of a venerated six in the Premier League. This has caused pundits to opine that the title race this season will be settled between Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Chelsea have lost just one game this season to reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. Liverpool are yet to lose a game. The Reds have looked impenetrable with the return of their seasoned centre-backs.

Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, too, have looked extremely dangerous. The former scored a hat-trick against Manchester United in Liverpool's emphatic 5-0 win last week.

Chelsea have looked like a force to be reckoned with even without their prime strikers. Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku are out injured and are expected to return after the international break. But without them also, Chelsea ran a rampage over Norwich City, beating them 7-0, courtesy a Mason Mount hat-trick.

Chelsea take on Newcastle United later today and will be hoping to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table.