Cesar Azpilicueta has advised Chelsea to step up as a way to mount a critical title problem in opposition to runaway Premier League leaders Manchester Metropolis.
The Blues battled again for a extremely creditable 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in an engrossing advert for England’s top-flight product.
Chelsea’s gamers delivered an necessary end result within the absence of dropped striker Romelu Lukaku however nonetheless slipped 10 factors behind defending champions Metropolis.
However captain Azpilicueta admitted Chelsea’s grafting level in opposition to Liverpool nonetheless represented a greater end result for Pep Guardiola’s pacesetters.
Requested if Metropolis have been the larger winners within the wake of their closest chasers drawing, Azpilicueta replied: “In fact. They’re the highest. It’s soccer.
“They’ve been setting the requirements within the Premier League excessive.
“It was as much as us to shut the hole firstly of the season. We have to elevate our degree.”
Mateo Kovacic’s effective volley and Christian Pulisic’s good end hauled Chelsea again after Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah had wrestled the Reds a commanding place.
Chelsea have been with out club-record signing Lukaku after boss Thomas Tuchel dropped the £98million summer time recruit, because the fallout over his controversial interview continues.
Tuchel was because of meet Lukaku on Monday to thrash out a approach ahead after the Belgium hitman advised Sky Sport Italy he was sad at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea gamers rallied for a end result to spice up their supervisor’s robust stance, with Lukaku’s team-mates understood to have been as shocked by the striker’s interview as Tuchel.
Azpilicueta believes Chelsea should nonetheless be happy with their fightback even regardless of frustrations with the general league image.
“We have been 2-0 down, we fought to come back again; we wished extra however we by no means misplaced the belief,” Azpilicueta advised Chelsea’s official membership web site.
“We felt the second half we may push for the third purpose.
“We needed to battle our approach again, we left the whole lot on the pitch.”
Liverpool have been left to depend the price of not simply conceding a profitable place but additionally the newest Covid-19 issues.
Supervisor Jurgen Klopp and senior gamers Alisson Becker, Joel Matip and Roberto Firmino missed the Stamford Bridge journey because of suspected optimistic coronavirus checks.
The Reds will now additionally see Naby Keita, Salah and Mane head off to the Africa Cup of Nations, however assistant supervisor Pep Lijnders insisted Liverpool don’t have any worries over their squad state of affairs.
As a substitute Lijnders revealed he advised Liverpool’s African stars to gentle up the competitors and do the whole lot they’ll to carry the distinguished trophy.
“I’ve spoken to Naby, Mo and Sadio, and advised them that they need to attempt to win the AFCON, as a result of it’s a prize to catch, the careers are by no means lengthy and so they need to battle for every prize,” stated Lijnders.
“It’s a event with such ardour and such tradition.
“They’re African legends, legends for me already; but when they win they’ll turn out to be much more legendary.
“We even have battle within the boys we’ve got, and hopefully we’ve got just a few extra boys coming again.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
