The idea of "any given Sunday" is what makes the NFL so compelling.

Any one team can beat another, and that means at this stage of the season, with the first snap still to be taken, every team can have Super Bowl aspirations.

Sort of.

The Cincinnati Bengals, for example, may have been slightly surprising contenders in 2021, but there remain some teams whose title hopes are so remote as to be non-existent.

For some, this is because they have missed their shot at glory in recent years; for others, the plan is to challenge in seasons to come.

So, this leads us to draw up a preseason tier system, ranking all 32 teams by their Super Bowl windows with the help of Stats Perform AI predictions...

Nowhere near

This is unlikely to be a season to remember for the teams grouped in this category, for a variety of reasons.

The Houston Texans won the AFC South in 2018 and 2019, but the Deshaun Watson saga and two down years have them looking at a rebuild, with the data forecasting just 4.8 wins this year. That at least ranks them ahead of the Atlanta Falcons (3.6 projected wins) and the New York Giants (4.2), while the Texans did gain draft assets in the Watson trade.

The Chicago Bears are the fourth and final team projected to earn fewer than six wins (4.9), with second-year quarterback Justin Fields receiving little help on offense and playing behind an offensive line ranked 31st in pass protection.

Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders rank 31st in terms of skill players – better only than the Falcons – with faith in Carson Wentz long since having diminished. In Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold, the Carolina Panthers have two high-draft-pick QBs unlikely to trouble the postseason. The New York Jets are in a similar boat, even if Zach Wilson is still young.

The Detroit Lions might argue they do not deserve to keep such company after a 3-3 finish to last season, but nobody could seriously argue they are title contenders.

Entering contention

If that first group was a mixed bag, so too is the second.

Anyone who has paid any attention to the New England Patriots' preseason would suggest they are very fortunate to be given any hope of success in the near future, but they finished with 10 wins in 2021 – even if that number is projected to shrink to 7.7. Despite a trade for Tyreek Hill, that still ranks the Patriots comfortably ahead of the Miami Dolphins (7.0), although the losing team in their Week 1 meeting will face a long slog of a season.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Philadelphia Eagles are forecast to have 11.9 wins – the second-most in the NFL – after a very strong offseason. But Jalen Hurts, for now, is unproven in the postseason, so Philly fans may have to stay patient.

The San Francisco 49ers are even younger at QB after promoting Trey Lance to a starting role, which explains why the prediction model looks so unfavourably on a team many consider contenders right now. Just 7.1 projected wins speaks to the potentially low floor Lance brings.

NFC West rivals the Arizona Cardinals have to be considered among this group of future hopefuls, with Kyler Murray hugely talented and now committed long term but frustratingly inconsistent, while the Jacksonville Jaguars will hope Trevor Lawrence can follow in the footsteps of the Bengals' Joe Burrow – the number one pick the year before him.

The Los Angeles Chargers, with 9.8 projected wins, have Justin Herbert to lead their charge, while the Cleveland Browns might have been contenders already if not for Watson's suspension, which is enough to limit them to a still strong 9.3-win forecast.

In their prime

The Chargers may have Herbert, but they also have three division rivals who intend to win and intend to win now. Indeed, all four AFC West teams rank in the top half of the league in terms of projected wins, with the Chargers second – behind the Kansas City Chiefs (11.5) and just ahead of the Denver Broncos (9.7) and the Las Vegas Raiders (9.2).

The Chiefs lead the AFC in this regard, although their playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last season came down to a coin flip, and the two are set to be similarly tough to separate this year. Buffalo are down for 11.1 wins.

The two teams coming off a Super Bowl run are of course prominent among the contenders, even if the model has far greater optimism for a Los Angeles Rams repeat than for another Bengals charge. The Rams are backed for a league-leading 12.4 wins and given a 15.3 per cent shot at defending their title, while the Bengals are actually projected to dip below .500 with 8.2 wins.

The Bengals' route to the Super Bowl will be complicated not just by the AFC West and the Bills but also by any return to form for the fit-again Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens, who are counted among nine teams on course for 10 or more wins (10.4).

Also in that group are NFC pair the Dallas Cowboys (11.0) and the Minnesota Vikings (10.9), who may not even be the best teams in their divisions but might be nearing a point when they must seriously challenge or start again, which brings us to...

Last chance saloon

As long as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the QBs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers, those teams are in with a chance. The question is how long that will remain the case.

Brady is 45, briefly retired this offseason and then missed a chunk of the preseason. Rodgers is 38, has repeatedly been linked with a move away from Green Bay and lost top target Davante Adams ahead of the new season. Still, the Buccaneers rank eighth for projected wins (10.7), with the Packers up in third (11.5).

They are not the only ageing teams in the NFL, however.

The Indianapolis Colts hope they have upgraded in moving from Wentz to Matt Ryan, yet the former MVP is now 37 and last played in the postseason in 2017 – when Wentz's Eagles took the title.

Tennessee Titans QB Ryan Tannehill is a little younger at 34, but of greater concern would be Derrick Henry's durability after the injury that limited to eight games last regular season. The Titans need to make the most of any seasons they have left of the superstar running back going at full tilt.

Missed their chance

Russell Wilson, Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees won Super Bowls with the Seattle Seahawks, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints respectively, but with all three having now moved on, it is difficult to see those teams plotting a path to the title.

For the Seahawks and the Steelers, this will be their first year without their stalwart QBs, even if things had already gone stale in 2021. Wilson dipped below the .500 mark for a season for the first time in his career, while Pittsburgh were attempting to stay competitive in spite of Roethlisberger rather than because of him.

Still, with both gone – Wilson to Denver and Roethlisberger to retirement – there is a void under center that has not been suitably filled. Seattle also rank 32nd in pass protection, likely leaving Geno Smith hopelessly exposed.

The Saints have had another 12 months to come to terms with Brees' exit, albeit they spent it juggling Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill at QB. Winston's season-ending injury doomed the Saints' hopes of contention last year, and New Orleans' outlook for 9.5 wins with the entertaining but erratic former number one pick is at least far more positive than that of the Seahawks (6.2) or the Steelers (7.0).

Regardless, each of these three teams have provided an example in how not to do succession planning. They all could have won additional honours with their departed veterans and now face long waits for further title tilts.

Tyson Fury has claimed his team has provisionally booked dates at Wembley and Cardiff for a potential 'Battle of Britain' clash with Anthony Joshua, with a date at Manchester United's Old Trafford seen as "too short".

The WBC heavyweight champion has laid down the mantle to his compatriot in attempts to finally give fans the fight they have been crying out for, although not with the same stakes as previously anticipated.

Fury and Joshua had an agreement to fight in Saudi Arabia in August 2021, which would have been a unification of the three leading heavyweight titles, but plans collapsed after a US judge ruled Deontay Wilder's rematch with Fury should go ahead.

While Fury was able to defeat the Bronze Bomber, Joshua lost his titles to Oleksandr Usyk and lost again to the Ukrainian in last month's rematch.

That seemed to spell the end of Joshua's stint at the top of the heavyweight game but Fury has offered a shot at his WBC belt later this year, with Usyk not planning to fight until 2023 due to injuries.

Fury has made his proposals public knowledge on social media and explained why he has gone in with a 60/40 offer, while adding venues have been provisionally booked.

"I think it's more than generous. I didn't want to go in at 80/20 like they would do to me," he told TalkSport.

"I really want this fight to happen because Usyk the middleweight doesn't want no smoke like I thought he didn't and now I'm going after AJ. I've already beaten Wilder and there's only one other person and that's AJ the bodybuilder.

"Why not give him 40 per cent, no excuses, let's get the fight made for the British public. the Battle of Britain, who's going to win it, me or him?

"He only had a sparring contest [against Usyk] didn't he? He's match fit, coming off a training camp. I've seen they're trying to wriggle a bit with the dates.

"We had Manchester United football ground booked for November 12 but they're saying that's too short.

"Even better, we've got Wembley booked for November 26 and if he doesn't want that I even have December 3 in Cardiff, so take your pick you dosser."

Wembley was the venue for Fury's knockout of Dillian Whyte in April, while Cardiff played host to Joshua's 2018 victory against Joseph Parker.

Due to the winter months proposed, Cardiff's Principality Stadium may be the preferred option due to the closing roof.

Paul Pogba's meniscus injury was "worsened" by the Juventus midfielder's decision to undergo conservative therapy rather than surgery, says his doctor Roberto Rossi.

The France star initially decided against an operation to solve a lesion to the lateral meniscus in his right knee, and favoured an alternative course of treatment.

Inconsistent results during training last week, however, forced him to undergo surgery on Monday, with a predicted eight-week recovery period casting doubt on his chances of making France's Qatar 2022 World Cup squad.

His decision to initially delay an operation has left Juventus frustrated, and now Rossi has outlined further how Pogba's original choice has waylaid him even more.

"The lesion to the lateral meniscus was tricky because the tissue was fragmented and the injury had worsened and when the player tried to force it by running into the field," he told Tuttosport.

"The conservative therapy did not work. On the contrary, the injury worsened. When we intervened, there were no conditions to complete a broken meniscus suture. It was only possible to intervene with [surgery]."

Pogba returned to Juventus for a stint, having originally left them in 2016 to return to Manchester United.

His arrival back in Turin on a free transfer has proven difficult so far thanks to his injury, and Didier Deschamps will face a decision whether to include the World Cup winner for his squad ahead of their title defence in Qatar.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has questioned Chelsea's decision to part company with Thomas Tuchel and says he did not expect Todd Boehly to be so ruthless.

Chelsea announced on Wednesday, a day after their slow start to the season continued with a 1-0 European loss to Dinamo Zagreb, that Tuchel had been relieved of his duties.

Tuchel departs Stamford Bridge having won three trophies, including just the club's second ever Champions League, during his 20 months at the helm.

American owner Boehly has placed Tuchel's coaching staff in temporary charge until a replacement is found.

Chelsea hired and fired managers on a regular basis during ex-owner Roman Abramovich's successful tenure, but Carragher expected things to be different under a new regime.

"It's a shock because I just thought the new regime at Chelsea would be different to Roman Abramovich," Carragher told Sky Sports News. 

"If Abramovich was still in charge, you'd fear for Tuchel because of what happened in the past with Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti – lots of great managers. 

"But I did feel as if it might have been a different type of regime, so it's a huge shock. It hasn't been a great start, we get that.

"But Chelsea felt like a team who needed the transfer window to end, get the squad they wanted and give a top-quality manager a chance over the next few weeks or months.

"We're talking six games into a season. He bought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who made his debut last night and Wesley Fofana's played two games.

"The idea that this team's been put together with a lot of money spent – I understand that – pressure comes with that and Thomas Tuchel will understand that.

"But he was almost like a director of football a lot through the summer as well, he was heavily involved in bringing the players in.

"So, he should have been given more time certainly, even just the next three games which takes them up to the international break, I don't know what the rush was right now."

According to widespread reports, Chelsea have been given permission by Brighton and Hove Albion to speak with head coach Graham Potter.

Out-of-work bosses Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane are also said to be under consideration by Boehly, who only took over ownership of the club at the end of May.

Potter has been widely lauded for his work at Brighton and also with former sides Swansea City and Ostersund, but Carragher has warned the Englishman about taking the job.

"It's a very ruthless club and I'm not sure he is the right fit," Carragher said. 

"Maybe Chelsea are saying they want to do things differently in the future in terms of having a coach in charge rather than a manager.

"But if I was Graham Potter, I would find that very hard to believe that they're going to do things differently. 

"They've just got rid of a manager six games into the season. Of course, it's a huge step up in his managerial career and Chelsea are still one of the top clubs. 

"They are still world champions right now, but you fear for Graham Potter that he'll be in the same boat as every other Chelsea manager has for the last 10 years.

"Unless he gets results instantly they'll be getting themselves another new manager in 12 months."

The triple-header to follow the resumption of the 2022 Formula One season concludes in Italy this weekend, with Max Verstappen aiming to inflict another stinging result on Ferrari.

Back-to-back wins in Belgium and the Netherlands have seen the Red Bull ace strengthen his grip on the title, with Verstappen remarkably securing 102 out of the last 104 available – only missing out on the fastest lap in France and Hungary.

Perhaps surprisingly, Verstappen's plethora of victories in F1 have not yet included triumph on Ferrari's home soil in Italy – which has seen four different winners in each of the last four races (Lewis Hamilton in 2018, Charles Leclerc in 2019, Pierre Gasly in 2020 and Daniel Ricciardo in 2021).

While the title race looks done and dusted, Ferrari will be determined to secure bragging rights at Monza to provide a boost to a team that has sustained persistent problems this season – most recently with Carlos Sainz's woeful pit stop last weekend.

Ferrari have taken 21 pole positions in the Italian Grand Prix, more than any other team, and have won on 19 occasions – most recently with Leclerc three years ago.

The Monaco-born driver will have fond memories of that triumph and will hope it presents a platform to propel better results in the remainder of the season to at least apply some pressure to Verstappen.

Mercedes mess

Mercedes looked on course for a first victory of the season in the Netherlands last weekend, Lewis Hamilton leading the way with George Russell tucked in behind and Verstappen sitting third before a questionable call.

Russell requested a pit stop and a change for soft tyres, something that was approved and resulted in Verstappen, having also taken softs, finding himself in striking distance of Hamilton and having no problems leapfrogging his former title rival.

Hamilton was understandably furious after the race, with Mercedes fumbling what may well be their best chance of a win in 2022.

Alonso record

In his farewell stint with Alpine ahead of his move to Aston Martin for next season, Fernando Alonso is set to equal Kimi Raikkonen's record of 350 races in Formula One – with nobody else having raced in more.

That record is destined to fall Alonso's way in the future, and he could snatch another off the Finn, as his next race finish would be his 279th in Formula One – putting him ahead of Raikkonen.

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United are in "control" when it comes to Marcus Rashford's future, adding that the forward is "happier" with his place at the club.

The England international was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain over the off-season following a difficult 2021-22 campaign, where he scored just five times in 32 games across all competitions.

But with three goals and two assists in the first six games of the new Premier League season, the 24-year-old looks to have rediscovered both the best of his abilities and his satisfaction with life at Old Trafford.

Rashford's United contract expires at the end of the current campaign, but with United set to start their Europa League campaign against Real Sociedad this week, manager Ten Hag says the club have his future in hand, given they have the option to extend his contract by a year.

"Definitely," the Dutchman stated when asked if the forward was in his long-term plans. "I don't think he is out of contract - I think United control the situation.

"It's difficult for me to talk about the past. What I see is a happy Marcus Rashford. We worked really hard the last two months with him on different aspects. He likes it, he wants to transfer it to the pitch.

"He comes in every day, he enjoys it, he's smiling, [he has] a really positive vibe. If you put all of those things together and you are happy, you will contribute more to the team."

Rashford's role as a centre-forward has kept Cristiano Ronaldo out of the starting line-up the past four games for United, with the Portuguese star benched alongside captain Harry Maguire.

Quizzed on whether a return could be on the cards for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ten Hag acknowledged the veteran forward is fit to feature from the off, while discussing plans to rotate his squad for their European schedule.

"He started against Brentford, then not since, but he is ready to start," added Ten Hag.

"Of course [he can start for the majority of games]. We have to win every game. We want to win every tournament, so we take everything seriously.

"We not only have a team, we have a squad, but we have to win every game and that is the mentality Manchester United needs."

Ten Hag acknowledged his approach may not keep all of the big names in his squad satisfied, but says his players will get a chance to shine, providing they earn their place.

"Maybe I can not keep them all happy every game, but everyone gets the game time if they perform well, [it is] quite clear," he added. "We need everyone, we have a lot of games to cover."

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag feels "sorry" for Thomas Tuchel following his dismissal as boss of rivals Chelsea.

Tuchel surprisingly parted company with the Blues on Wednesday, just a day on from starting their Champions League campaign with a shock 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb.

An indifferent start to their Premier League campaign that has produced three wins, two defeats and a draw has left Chelsea sixth in the table.

The news came as a surprise to many, though, given Chelsea spent big in the transfer window to sign the likes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Having also won the Champions League four months after joining the club in January 2021, most would have expected Tuchel to be afforded more time by the club's new owners led by Todd Boehly.

Asked for his reaction to Tuchel's sacking, Ten Hag had told reporters: "I feel sorry, but there is nothing I can say. It's Chelsea, not Man United. It's early in the season, yes."

United are one place and two points ahead of Chelsea in the infant Premier League.

Chelsea's dismissal of Thomas Tuchel has caught the footballing world by surprise, with his exit coming just a week after the close of the transfer window and a lavish spending spree.

The Blues are on the hunt for a new manager yet again, Todd Boehly swinging the axe in the same sort of fashion that predecessor Roman Abramovich would have – although Boehly's approach seems far more fierce.

Defeats to Leeds United, Southampton and Dinamo Zagreb were certainly disappointing for the Blues but, with just six games gone in the Premier League and one game down in the Champions League, there was plenty of time to turn things around.

The hunt for Tuchel's successor will be a difficult one, particularly given the strong record the German has boasted during his time at Stamford Bridge.

Here, Stats Perform dives into Opta's insight into Tuchel's spell in west London.

Delivering on all fronts

Tuchel leaves Chelsea with a 60 per cent win percentage across all competitions, with a 55.6 per cent percentage in the Premier League standing as the fourth highest in Blues' history among managers to have taken charge of at least 50 matches.

In the Champions League, where Tuchel led Chelsea to glory just months after taking the job in XXX, the German boasted an impressive 66.7 per cent win percentage in the competition.

It was in the FA Cup where Tuchel had the best return, with an 80 per cent win percentage having led the Blues to back-to-back finals, though they suffered defeat in both to Leicester City and Liverpool.

In 589 days in charge of Chelsea, Tuchel led the club to four major finals (2x FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League) and no manager has even taken charge of the Blues in more, with Jose Mourinho also boasting four.

Best of the rest

Unable to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool at the summit of English football, Chelsea firmly established themselves as the best of the rest under the guidance of Tuchel.

Under Tuchel's guidance, Chelsea picked up 122 points from 63 Premier League matches with only City (152) and Liverpool (136) picking up more.

Chelsea's return of 168 goals across all competitions under Tuchel was again beneath only the duo, with City netting 240 and Liverpool scoring 201.

With 49 clean sheets in 100 matches, Tuchel's side stand head and shoulders above all their rivals though, City ranking second with 44 and Liverpool in third with 43.

Had them in the first half

Quickly finding steam with Chelsea, leading them to Champions League glory and the FA Cup final just months after taking the reigns, Tuchel's return in the first half of his stint with the Blues is impressive.

In all competitions, Tuchel's first 50 games yielded 32 victories, 11 draws and seven defeats, with just 24 goals conceded.

A notable decline came in the final 50 matches of Tuchel's spell, however, with four fewer wins (28), two more draws (11) and nine losses – though the most alarming stat is conceding 53 goals, over double the amount from his first 50.

Any manager who Chelsea hire now will be a downgrade on Thomas Tuchel, according to Rio Ferdinand.

Former Manchester United and England star Ferdinand insists Chelsea’s decision to sack Tuchel, which was announced on Wednesday, does not make sense.

The German was appointed as the successor to club legend Frank Lampard in January 2021 and promptly led Chelsea to Champions League glory in his first season.

More success followed in the form of trophies in the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, but Tuchel also lost two FA Cup finals and an EFL Cup showpiece during his tenure.

A slow start to this season continued on Tuesday with a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat away to Dinamo Zagreb.

But Ferdinand feels new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly – who was a big spender in the transfer window – has acted too soon in dismissing the former Paris Saint-Germain head coach.

Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel: "Anybody who comes in now, you would think it is a downgrade on Tuchel and his resume. 

"He is a proper manager. All the players I speak to talk positively about him. He is honest and direct. He has clarity on how he wants to play. 

"I can't understand it. It doesn't make sense to me.

"Tuchel has a 60 per cent win rate. A lot of managers would be delighted to have that. 

"Chelsea have set their stall out now and said, 'This is us now'. It's a giant statement from Todd Boehly and his new regime. It leads you to the point, where will they go?"

Brighton and Hove Albion boss Graham Potter has emerged as an early frontrunner to replace Tuchel.

Whether or not he takes the Chelsea job now, Ferdinand believes Potter is destined to move to a top team at some stage.

The former United defender added: "Potter has done a fantastic job. I think he will be someone called by bigger clubs than Brighton with due respect. But would he take it? 

"When he went to Brighton their style of football changed immediately. He has a clear identity.

"I think on the grass he will be great in that sense. The questions are would he be able to handle the experienced players? 

"In terms of handling big players and egos, there are a nucleus of young players there who would warm to him immediately."

Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino are also among the early mooted contenders to replace Tuchel.

Chelsea have made the bold decision to axe Thomas Tuchel just a week after the transfer window brought an end to the Blues' lavish spending spree.

Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were all among the arrivals in a raft of additions for the Blues, with new owner Todd Boehly putting out a statement of intent.

The club's early season form has patchy, though, with Chelsea losing to Leeds United and Southampton in the Premier League as well as a shock defeat in their Champions League group-stage opener to Dinamo Zagreb.

The hunt for Tuchel's successor has begun but whoever takes the job will have a challenge finding stable footing, as Stats Perform identifies the big issues that need resolving.

Integrating new players

New signings do not always immediately settle into new surroundings, which was evident in Tuesday's defeat in Croatia as Fofana and Koulibaly were caught out for the only goal of the game, one that ultimately contributed to Tuchel losing his job.

Aubameyang – donning a protective mask due to a fractured jaw – also looked off the pace on his debut, though he saw a goal chalked off, and will have questions after the dismissal of the German, whom he was excited to work with again following their stint together at Borussia Dortmund.

Sterling, at least, seems to have adjusted quickly to life in west London, scoring three and assisting one in the opening six matches, but it's still early days for the former Manchester City forward.

Bringing the new additions up to speed and singing from the same hymn sheet will be a big priority for Tuchel's successor.

Choosing the best XI

Chelsea's struggles have come alongside an untimely loss in form for goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who previously had his position in the side as a near certainty, but a new boss may have different ideas – particularly after some fine saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga in the defeat in Zagreb.

In defence, there's also decisions to be made with Fofana, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Ben Chilwell, Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James and Thiago Silva all vying for a starting berth and looking to secure regular action ahead of their respective World Cup campaigns.

There is remains uncertainty in midfield, with the likes of N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic all having question marks over their long-term futures. Youngsters Conor Gallagher, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei also need bedding into the side, the latter representing new recruits at Stamford Bridge.

Figuring out a settled XI is of vital importance for the new incumbent.

Solve the striker situation

One of the most problematic positions to fix, though, is the striker position.

The Blues' long-term striker issues have claimed numerous casualties, most recently Romelu Lukaku, while Timo Werner was also sold back to RB Leipzig.

The signing of 33-year-old Aubameyang on deadline day was not a permanent fix and, given the issues Mikel Arteta encountered at Arsenal managing the striker, issues may arise.

Neither Kai Havertz and Sterling are natural centre-forwards, while Armando Broja is only 20 and it would be a bold decision to throw the Albanian into the deep end as the leading striker.

Aubameyang is the obvious solution for the new boss but a long-term plan needs to be established.

Thomas Tuchel has been dismissed by Chelsea following Tuesday's Champions League loss to Dinamo Zagreb, ending a near-20-month stay at Stamford Bridge.

The German arrived midway through the 2021-22 season as Frank Lampard's successor, and steered the Blues to an improbable Champions League triumph just weeks later.

But despite success for the former Paris Saint-Germain boss in Europe, domestic glory has been harder to come by.

This week's defeat to Zagreb was the final straw for new owner Todd Boehly, after a slow start to the new Premier League season that has seen Chelsea win just three of their first six games.

In the wake of his departure, Stats Perform takes a look at the highs and lows of the Tuchel era at Stamford Bridge...

HIGH: European glory from the ashes

Having stepped in to replace Lampard with Chelsea ninth in the Premier League and slipping away from European qualification, Tuchel did more than steer them back on track – he pulled off a shock silverware smash-and-grab.

Not only did he drag them to an eventual fourth-place finish, he oversaw two-legged wins over Porto and Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final – and there, shocked favourites Manchester City to claim the Blues' second title in Europe's biggest club competition.

LOW: Ignominy on the continent

For that high-water mark, however, Chelsea have also had issues at continental level, perhaps best exemplified by two disparate results – this week's loss to Zagreb and last season's Champions League quarter-final exit to Madrid.

Defeat to the Croatian side came with a toothless attack that failed to gel for the German, but the crash against Madrid – when they allowed Karim Benzema to find an extra-time winner – showcased their struggle to close out games.

HIGH: Final delights...

In the time Tuchel has been in charge at Stamford Bridge, he reached all three domestic cup finals available to him, with FA Cup showpiece appearances in 2021 and 2022, and an EFL Cup trip to Wembley, too.

That saw him stand alone in the history of the club and cemented his reputation as something of a cup specialist.

LOW: ...and failures

But on each occasion, he failed to guide the Blues over the line, losing last season to underdogs Leicester City before suffering a pair of defeats against a quadruple-chasing Liverpool side this year.

While he has enjoyed greater success abroad, the struggles at Wembley have haunted his reputation – and may well have played a part in his ultimate dismissal.

HIGH: Champions of the world

Chelsea's Champions League triumph qualified them for a shot at two more major prizes last season – and credit is due for Tuchel guiding them to both, allowing them to stake a claim as the greatest club team in world football.

A nervy Super Cup win over Villarreal was aided by Kepa Arrizabalaga's penalty shootout heroics, while Kai Havertz' extra-time penalty helped the Blues sink Palmeiras to be crowned Club World Cup winners.

LOW: Lukaku lethargy

If there is to be a player that marks Tuchel's legacy at Chelsea outside of his Champions League triumph though, it will almost certainly be Romelu Lukaku – one of the worst transfer flops in recent memory.

Returning to Chelsea after a Serie A title win with Inter, hopes were high for the Belgian's homecoming, but his poor form and difficulties within the German's system saw him frozen out over the latter half of the season.

Lukaku returned to Inter on a year-long loan over the off-season, with just eight Premier League goals in 26 games, and it remains to be seen whether he ever steps foot back in Stamford Bridge again or, if like Tuchel, his time at the club is now over.

Even accounting for Chelsea's shoddy start to the Champions League, few would have expected Thomas Tuchel to be out of a job by Wednesday.

The Blues started their European campaign with a lacklustre 1-0 setback at Dinamo Zagreb, a result that follows an underwhelming trend to start the season.

With three wins, two losses and one draw from six games, the Blues sit sixth in the infant Premier League table.

Still, most would have expected Tuchel – who has won the Champions League and Club World Cup with Chelsea – to be afforded more time to bed in the likes of Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly following a big-spending transfer window under the club's new owners led by Todd Boehly.

But, alas, he has not, and for the first time Chelsea are after a new boss under their new regime. We have taken a look at the most likely candidates to replace Tuchel at Stamford Bridge.

MAURICIO POCHETTINO

The last time Chelsea were looking for a successor for a sacked manager, they turned to a former Paris Saint-Germain boss in Tuchel to replace club legend Frank Lampard. Might history repeat itself here? Certainly Pochettino would be attainable after the Argentine departed the Parc des Princes in July despite winning the Ligue 1 title. Pochettino also brings extensive knowledge of the Premier League having managed Southampton before joining Tottenham in May 2014. Pochettino failed to deliver major silverware but did lead the club to the 2019 Champions League final and secured four straight top-four finishes.

GRAHAM POTTER

A name that has cropped up early in the bookmakers' odds is Brighton and Hove Albion boss Potter, a man who has earned plenty of admirers due to the attractive brand of football employed by his Seagulls side. Having coached Swedish side Ostersund for seven years, Potter joined Swansea City in 2018 and a year later made the move to the Amex Stadium. After finishing 15th and 16th in his first two top-flight seasons, Brighton placed ninth last term and Potter has long been tipped for bigger things, with his case boosted by a fantastic start to the 2022-23 season.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

Another boss out of work, though reports suggest Zidane remains keen to take on the France job should Didier Deschamps leave after Qatar 2022. One of the greatest players of all time, Zidane has also enjoyed success in the dugout at Real Madrid. Over two spells as coach at the Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane won three Champions League titles (all in a row from 2016 to 2018), two LaLiga medals, and the Club World Cup twice among a plethora of honours. He also showed his ability to manage big egos at the Santiago Bernabeu, a trait that may appeal to Boehly.

BRENDAN RODGERS

A move that would probably represent an outside bet given Leicester City's shoddy start to the season that sees them winless after six matches and rooted to the bottom of the table, but there is context behind that – including the sale of Fofana to Chelsea. Rodgers previously managed Liverpool and went agonisingly close to winning the title in the 2013-14 season – eventually finishing runners-up to Manchester City. After an impressive spell with Celtic, Rodgers returned to English football with Leicester and defeated Chelsea in the 2020-21 FA Cup final. Moreover, Rodgers is a familiar face at Stamford Bridge having managed the club's reserve side from 2006-2008.

DIEGO SIMEONE

Simeone is an undoubted legend at Atletico Madrid, where he has managed to consistently compete against heavyweight rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona in LaLiga for over a decade. A two-time league winner, to go with medals in the Europa League, Copa del Rey and Supercopa a Espana, Simeone knows how to win trophies – even though two runs to the final of the Champions League both ended in defeat to Real Madrid. But having finished third and 15 points off the top last term, and started this season in patchy form (two wins, a draw and a defeat from four games), perhaps Simeone may finally be swayed by the prospect of pastures new.