Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the full extent of the off-field chaos engulfing Chelsea is yet to be realised, but he defiantly vowed they will keep competing so long as they have a kit and a bus.

Chelsea beat Norwich City at Carrow Road on Thursday, with their 3-1 win inspired by Mason Mount and Kai Havertz.

But earlier in the day it was confirmed by the UK government that club owner Roman Abramovich was among the latest high-profile Russian individuals and entities to be hit with sanctions in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who has been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past, was in the process of attempting to sell Chelsea, and the sanctions have put the sale in doubt despite the oligarch claiming the proceeds would have been donated to victims of the war.

While Chelsea were granted a special sporting licence to continue operating as a football club, measures have been imposed upon them including a ban on selling merchandise and tickets to non-season-ticket holders.

Additionally, the first team is not allowed to spend more than £20,000 on away travel, and any income from TV broadcast rights or competition prize money will be frozen.

Shirt sponsor Three has already suspended its agreement with the club while other partners are assessing contracts, and Tuchel realises things may get even worse for the club.

"I didn't see that coming yesterday and I don't know what is coming tomorrow," Tuchel told reporters after the defeat of Norwich.

"The level of impact it has, the news of today is big, in time we don't know how big. We cannot influence it."

Yet the German cut a largely relaxed figure, seemingly at peace with the fact there is nothing he nor his players can do to affect the situation.

For them, it is a case of business as usual, where possible, with Tuchel adamant he remains committed to leading the team.

"I am still happy to be here and still happy to be manager of a strong team," he continued.

"So far we can trust each other and this will not change. As long as we have enough shirts and a bus to drive to the games, we will be there and will compete hard.

"Everybody can be very sure that we focus on us, to keep the attitude and the mentality right on the training ground and within the team."

Chelsea are in action again on Sunday as they welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge.

Mason Mount explained on Thursday how difficult it had been for Chelsea's players not to be distracted by the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich.

Abramovich was named as one of seven Russian oligarchs to have his assets frozen by the UK government due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with a statement calling the Chelsea owner a "prominent Russian businessman and pro-Kremlin oligarch".

A government statement said: "Abramovich is associated with a person who is or has been involved in destabilising Ukraine and undermining and threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, namely Vladimir Putin, with whom Abramovich has had a close relationship for decades."

The sanctions mean Chelsea's potential sale has been put on hold, with further restrictions banning merchandise sales and tickets to non-season-ticket holders.

This news came on the same day Chelsea travelled to Norwich City for a Premier League match.

Although the Blues won 3-1 to consolidate third place in the table, midfielder Mount – who both scored and assisted goals – acknowledged the precarious situation with Abramovich had been a factor.

"You can't really avoid it, as there's a lot going on," Mount told BBC Sport.

"We have to focus on what we do on the pitch. We had a game today and that was the only thing we could focus on. 

"We did that today, so now it's about Sunday. You try not to look too much into it."

Chelsea host Newcastle United on Sunday in their first game at Stamford Bridge since these developments.

Thomas Tuchel was grateful to have a match to focus on after Chelsea were plunged into uncertainty on Thursday with the freezing of club owner Roman Abramovich's assets.

Chelsea were in Norfolk to face Norwich City, emerging with a 3-1 win thanks to a professional display led by Mason Mount and Kai Havertz.

But earlier in the day it was confirmed by the British government that Abramovich was among the latest high-profile Russian individuals and entities to be hit with sanctions in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich, who has been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin in the past, was in the process of attempting to sell Chelsea, and the sanctions have put the sale in doubt despite the oligarch claiming the proceeds would have been donated to victims of the war.

While Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to continue operating as a football club, measures were placed upon them including a ban on selling merchandise and tickets to non-season-ticket holders.

It cast a shroud over Chelsea heading into Thursday's game, but Tuchel feels the fact they were already preparing for a match helped the squad keep their focus away from off-field matters.

Tuchel told BeIN Sports: "It's big news, huge impact of course, that's why it's big news. It is the subject of all the talk [in the squad].

"Normally we'd talk maybe about the Champions League games from yesterday but nobody talked about that, just the impacts of the new facts around the club.

"In the end it's also nice to enter a fixed schedule approaching a match. So, there's three-hours before [the game] we eat, and then we have a tactical meeting, then a set-piece meeting, then we go to the stadium.

"So, it helps you to focus because we're used to it. In the end we cannot influence it, we did not cause the situation, so we allowed ourselves to enjoy the fact we're here and are privileged to play football in the Premier League, and we wanted to show the best things.

"Sometimes it's good to sweat it out, so we tried to work hard, tried to convince the team to work really hard together and that's sometimes the best thing to get the focus back."

Certain sections of the Chelsea support have criticised the media for asking Tuchel about off-field matters since Abramovich announced he had put the club up for sale.

There have been suggestions Tuchel should only be asked questions relating specifically to the football his team play, but the German appeared relaxed about having to answer about off-field topics.

"I would love to talk about sports but I understand [the media] have a lot of questions," he continued.

"Unfortunately, I don't know much more than you, maybe it's the opposite, but we're also an entertainment and that's why it's like this."

Chelsea's off-field uncertainty was no barrier to victory over struggling Norwich City on Thursday as the Blues left Carrow Road with a 3-1 win.

The British government earlier confirmed Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen as part of its sanctions against high-profile Russian individuals and entities in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

These sanctions were imposed just as Abramovich was attempting to sell the club, meaning Chelsea's future is shrouded in uncertainty, but on the pitch at least it was business as usual to a degree.

Trevoh Chalobah and Mason Mount had Chelsea two up inside 14 minutes, though their second-half performance offered Norwich encouragement with Teemu Pukki pulling one back from the spot.

But a Norwich comeback never materialised as Kai Havertz put the game beyond them late on to keep the Canaries bottom, while Chelsea moved eight points clear of fourth-placed Arsenal. 

Considering Norwich's poor defensive record, Chelsea were always going to get chances – they just may not have expected an opener to come so soon.

Feeble Norwich defending saw Chalobah nudge home from close range after Mount's delivery in the third minute, and it was 2-0 not long after.

The excellent Havertz pulled the ball back to Mount on the edge of the box, and following a drop of the shoulder, he exquisitely found the top-right corner.

Chelsea's intensity dropped after the break, though it was not until the 69th minute that their lead looked under threat, as Pukki coolly slid home a penalty after Chalobah handled a cross from lively substitute Milot Rashica.

Norwich's hopes of a late turnaround were dashed in the 90th minute, Havertz picking out the top-left corner with aplomb.

 

What does it mean? On-pitch stability vital for Tuchel

There is nothing Tuchel and his players can do about the chaos that is encircling Chelsea. All of that will be played out in the boardroom.

But the last thing they need now would be a wobble on the pitch, as they could quickly begin to slide down the Premier League table.

While the next few weeks – at least – look set to be challenging for Chelsea in almost every sense, this was at least a victory that prevented questions of being asked of the players' mentalities.

Mount the instigator

Although he was slightly quieter in the second half, Mount deserves recognition for his all-round performance. The midfielder was a major attacking threat, having an involvement in two of Chelsea goals, while his four shots and five key passes were match highs – only twice before has he set up more chances in a single Premier League game.

Rachica brought hope for Norwich

Norwich were massively improved in the second half, with Havertz's late strike arguably flattering the visitors. Rashica was key to the hosts' showing after the break with a lively display on the left flank, his two key passes the most of any player in yellow – it was also his cross that led to the penalty.

What's next?

Chelsea welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while Norwich head to out-of-form Leeds United the same day.

Ilkay Gundogan believes Manchester City must step on the accelerator at the top of the Premier League if they are to deny Liverpool the title.

Another remarkable race for silverware is unfolding in England between the north-west giants, with Pep Guardiola's City currently six points ahead of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, who have a game in hand.

Liverpool's trip to City on April 10 could be pivotal in determining the destiny of the trophy, and by the time City are in action next, at Crystal Palace on Monday, their lead could be down to three points.

That is because Liverpool play ahead of them, taking on Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday.

Gundogan said: "There is no potential to do mistakes for both sides. We have a showdown at the Etihad in a few weeks.

"Both teams are capable to win all of the remaining games as we both have shown a few years ago. It's going to be a tight race until the end, this is what we believe."

Gundogan is referring to the 2018-19 Premier League season when he reflects on the season when both City and Liverpool stalked each other to the finish line.

It was City who edged that battle with 98 points to the Reds' 97, before Liverpool streaked to glory by 18 points in the following campaign.

City reasserted their authority last term, with a third title in four seasons, and narrowly have the upper hand this time around, albeit with time for that to change. They have 10 games left; Liverpool have 11.

City's shock home defeat to Tottenham on February 19 is their only league loss in the last 18 games, but has highlighted a potential vulnerability at a crucial stage of the campaign.

Guardiola and Klopp have Champions League commitments that must be attended to over the coming weeks and months, having guided their teams to the quarter-finals. Liverpool edged past Inter 2-1 on aggregate, while City sealed an impressive last-16 win over Sporting CP as they consolidated a 5-0 win in Portugal with a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Gundogan said City's home display was "very mature" and safety-first. They are attempting to go one better than last season, when they were beaten 1-0 in the final by Chelsea.

"The confidence is very high," German midfielder Gundogan said. "The experience from the last years always helps. Going into the final last year, even though we lost, it is a great experience for all of our players, especially as it was the first time for a lot of us.

"We smelt last year how it was, the tension and the atmosphere to go into the final.

"Obviously we again have the highest hopes for this year, even though the competition is very big.

"I think there's a lot of quality and potential in our squad. There is no reason not to be confident and that's how we're going to approach also the quarter-finals."

Chelsea's shirt sponsor has suspended its deal with the Premier League giants after club owner Roman Abramovich was hit with UK government sanctions.

Three said it had asked Chelsea to remove its logos from team shirts and from the club's Stamford Bridge stadium.

The telecommunications company said the suspension was "the right thing to do". The deal is reportedly worth around £40million per year.

Russian oligarch Abramovich, who also has Israeli and Portuguese citizenship, has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Putin last month ordered an invasion of Ukraine, which has led to death and destruction in that country.

Abramovich was one of seven oligarchs to face sanctions on Thursday, with his assets frozen, a move that has had major knock-on effects for Chelsea.

The Blues have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading as a football club, but their money-making avenues have been curtailed in many areas.

Now Three has declared its stance, with a spokesperson saying: "In light of the government's recently announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our sponsorship of the club, including the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice.

"We recognise that this decision will impact the many Chelsea fans who follow their team passionately. However, we feel that given the circumstances, and the government sanction that is in place, it is the right thing to do."

Chelsea announced their tie-up with Three in January 2020, with the deal beginning the following season.

Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side were set to face Norwich City on Thursday evening, with the Premier League confirming that game would go ahead.

Antonio Conte has expressed sympathy over the situation at his former club Chelsea after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.

Abramovich, who has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin, had his assets frozen on Thursday, with the decision made in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading as a football club, but measures have been placed upon them, including a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches.

Tottenham manager Conte spent two seasons at Stamford Bridge between 2016 and 2018, winning the Premier League in his first year and the FA Cup in his second term, before being sacked at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

Speaking at a media conference ahead of Spurs' trip to Manchester United at the weekend, the Italian said the situation is a "pity" for the players, the manager and the fans.

"Honestly, I have just listened to this situation," he said. "It's not easy. It's not easy.

"It's a pity also because I was coach in this club, in Chelsea. I enjoyed two seasons [there]. Also, I won two titles. It's a pity to listen to this situation. 

"It's not simple for the players, it's not simple for [head coach] Thomas Tuchel, for the fans, for the whole environment.

"Honestly, I hope that in general that this situation between Russia and Ukraine is going to finish and to find peace, because it's much too important.

"Other situations that are coming from this conflict, I think that it's not right. I hope for the best, for this club, because I worked in this club, I enjoyed the two seasons.

"For sure, I love the team, the club that I worked in the past. Every team that I worked in the past, I hope for the best for them."

The Premier League confirmed on Thursday that Chelsea's game against Norwich City on Thursday evening would go ahead as planned, while the club pledged to work with the UK government to ensure business as usual where possible.

Pep Guardiola dismissed the possibility of Manchester City winning a treble this season as "fairy tales" as he hailed Scott Carson as an inspiration to his young stars.

Veteran former England goalkeeper Carson made just his second appearance in almost three years for City as he came off the bench against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Wednesday.

City's goalless draw completed a 5-0 aggregate win over the Portuguese giants after the thumping win in Lisbon three weeks earlier, and that has only served to ramp up talk of a possible sweep of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.

Leading the English top flight and through to quarter-finals in the two knockout competitions, it is a rosy picture for City with three shots at silverware remaining.

Asked about that prospect in a news conference on Thursday, Guardiola said: "It doesn't motivate me, absolutely zero, lower than zero. It is fairy tales.

"The reality is tougher than you suggest with this kind of things. You should understand sport at a high level is so competitive, so difficult.

"What I'm happy with is we are in the quarter-finals, the best eight teams in Europe. It will be so tough, the opponent we are going to face, and I guess for the opponent it will be tough to face us.

"Step-by-step, we now recover and increase and improve our level and at the end, we will see."

Guardiola handed Champions League debuts to teenagers CJ Egan-Riley, James McAtee and Luke Mbete, while Fernandinho made his 100th appearance in the competition, the fourth Brazilian to reach that mark, following in the footsteps of Roberto Carlos (120), Dani Alves (111) and Marcelo (101).

The youngsters that City hope to keep bringing through from their academy, in the manner that Guardiola's former club Barcelona have cultivated youth talent down the years, have plenty of international stars to admire.

Guardiola made a point that 36-year-old Carson should be the player they watch, to learn how he values every moment of his City career.

"One of the best advice I could give to young players is stay around Scott Carson as much as possible in the locker room and on the pitch," Guardiola said.

"It's the best advice they can get, the best learnings they can get. You have to be there to know him. He's experienced enough, he lived many, many things."

Carson's surprise and popular cameo against Sporting gave him just a second appearance in the Champions League, a full 16 years and 338 days after he played for Liverpool against Juventus as a 19-year-old. That made it the largest gap between appearances for any player in the competition's history, and Carson pulled off a fine stop to stave off a possible home defeat.

"He's at the end of his career, so every second he's training and every minute he gets on the pitch and off the field in the locker room, he values it," Guardiola said.

"It's like young actors need to be with old actors on the set. They are wiser, and they have the values in the football profession."

The Premier League confirmed Chelsea's game at Norwich City would go ahead on Thursday despite Blues owner Roman Abramovich being hit with sanctions.

Abramovich was one of seven Russian oligarchs sanctioned by the UK government on Thursday. He has had his assets frozen and cannot pursue efforts to sell the London club, with the decision made while Russia continues to invade Ukraine.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading, but measures have been imposed that include a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches.

The Premier League said in a statement: "Following the UK government's announcement that sanctions have been imposed against Roman Abramovich, the Premier League can confirm tonight's match between Norwich City and Chelsea will go ahead as planned.

"The government has issued an initial licence to enable Chelsea to continue to train, play its fixtures and fulfil its obligations for the rest of the season.

"The league will now work with the club and the government to ensure the season will proceed as planned and in line with the government’s intention."

Chelsea said the club "intend to engage in discussions" with the government, and that they hope to operate "as normal as possible".

"Chelsea Football Club has been advised that its owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government," the club stated.

"By virtue of his 100 per cent ownership of Chelsea FC plc and affiliated entities, Chelsea FC would normally be subject to the same sanctions regime as Mr Abramovich. However, the UK government has issued a general licence that permits Chelsea FC to continue certain activities.

"We will fulfil our men's and women's team fixtures today against Norwich and West Ham, respectively, and intend to engage in discussions with the UK government regarding the scope of the licence.

"This will include seeking permission for the licence to be amended in order to allow the club to operate as normal as possible. We will also be seeking guidance from the UK government on the impact of these measures on the Chelsea Foundation and its important work in our communities.

"The club will update further when it is appropriate to do so."

Pep Guardiola admits he feels sorry for rival boss Thomas Tuchel after Chelsea were left with an uncertain future by sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich.

Manchester City manager Guardiola said he was unclear about the implications of the action brought about by the United Kingdom government, and he was unwilling to delve into what it might mean for European club champions Chelsea.

Long-time Chelsea owner Abramovich was one of seven Russian oligarchs facing new measures after Thursday's announcement, and the impact on Chelsea looks to be significant.

Abramovich, who has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin, has had his assets frozen, with the decision made in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading as a football club, but measures have been placed upon the club including a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches.

Guardiola said he did not "know exactly the reason why" the sanction had been imposed, but he understood the consequences for Tuchel and his Chelsea playing squad would be challenging.

"Of course with the position for the manager, for Thomas Tuchel and the players, it's uncomfortable, and I feel sorry for them because they're there to do their job as well as possible," Guardiola said. "For the rest, I don't know, I have to wait."

Chelsea beat City in last year's Champions League final, and they sit third in the Premier League this season, with Guardiola's team in a title battle with Liverpool further up the table.

Speaking in a pre-match news conference ahead of City's trip to Crystal Palace, which does not take place until Monday, Guardiola acknowledged Premier League managers and head coaches are often asked about subjects in which they lack specialist knowledge.

"We are the face of the club, we're here every day, and you ask freely whatever you want, but you have to understand there are subjects we don't know," he said.

"We don't have a one-hour lesson to speak or talk about what you're asking for.

"I always feel confident talking about my club. It was difficult last week talking about the situation for Man United: I don't know, I'm not there. Now the situation with Chelsea is the same.

"I'm empathic enough to put in the position of the manager of Chelsea and the players. It must be an uncomfortable situation, but it was this morning's headlines and I don't know what's going to happen.

"I prefer when I don't have the knowledge or opinion about any subject to wait, and this is what I have to do. I don't want to say something that's uncomfortable for Chelsea or for our club, or whatever."

Guardiola was asked about whether managers and coaches now needed to consider carrying out due diligence on the teams they might join.

"You're right, yeah. It looks like you have to know absolutely everything," Guardiola said.

"Maybe in the next press conference I will have more of a clear opinion. I would like to speak with my CEO about exactly what is the reason why, what happened, and after I can talk more comfortably."

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is one of seven Russian oligarchs whose names have been added to a list of sanctions by the United Kingdom government.

Abramovich has had his assets frozen and cannot pursue his bid to sell the Blues, with the decision made in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading as a football club, but measures have been placed upon the club including a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches.

A statement from the UK government added: "Given the significant impact that today's sanctions would have on Chelsea Football Club and the potential knock-on effects of this, the government has this morning published a licence which authorises a number of football-related activities to continue at Chelsea.

"This includes permissions for the club to continue playing matches and other football-related activity which will in turn protect the Premier League, the wider football pyramid, loyal fans and other clubs.

"This licence will only allow certain explicitly named actions to ensure the designated individual is not able to circumvent UK sanctions.

"The licence will be kept under constant review and we will work closely with the football authorities."

Paris Saint-Germain's latest quest to win the Champions League was ended by Real Madrid on Wednesday.

The Ligue 1 leaders squandered a 2-0 aggregate lead with just half an hour of the tie remaining, losing 3-1 in the second leg and 3-2 on aggregate thanks to Karim Benzema's hat-trick.

It means head coach Mauricio Pochettino could already be looking ahead to a change of scenery.

 

TOP STORY – POCHETTINO SET FOR PSG SACK AND COULD TURN TO MAN UTD

Mauricio Pochettino's job is "hanging by a thread" at PSG, according to the Telegraph.

It is claimed the Argentine can expect to leave the club at the end of the season following their Champions League collapse against Real Madrid.

Pochettino has long been linked with the Manchester United manager job and could now start to prepare for the prospect of taking over at Old Trafford.

 

ROUND-UP

Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken with agent Jorge Mendes over his future at Manchester United, claims the Sun. Meanwhile, Bild reports the Red Devils are interested in signing Robert Lewandowski.

Paul Pogba is another who could be leaving Old Trafford this year, but Juventus are not yet certain whether to try to re-sign him on a free transfer or offer a new contract to Paulo Dybala, Tuttosport claims.

Barcelona are close to concluding an agreement with Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen, according to Sport.

Arsenal want to sign two new strikers and a midfielder as part of a major squad overhaul, the Standard says. Alexander Isak, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Jonathan David and Darwin Nunez are among the forwards being tracked.

- A consortium led by British businessman Nick Candy is working on a £2.5billion bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, the Guardian reports.

British property developer Nick Candy is "actively exploring" the possibility of bidding for ownership of Chelsea.

The billionaire – a lifelong Blues fan – is looking to join up with another party or consortium to make a bid to buy the club after Roman Abramovich last week announced he was willing to sell.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has led to calls for current owner Abramovich – and other Russian individuals and entities – to face sanctions from the British government, with the 55-year-old Russian oligarch having been photographed with president Vladimir Putin in the past.

Although a spokesperson for Abramovich claimed he was "trying to help" achieve a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the billionaire later announced he had taken the "incredibly difficult" decision to sell the club, which he has owned since 2003.

Candy – who has a background in luxury real estate and is married to Australian singer and actress Holly Valance – would also look to improve the club's facilities. Plans to build a new 60,000-seater stadium at Stamford Bridge were shelved in 2018.

A spokesperson for Mr Candy commented: "Nick Candy is actively exploring a number of options for a potential bid for Chelsea Football Club.

"Any bid would be made in conjunction with another party (or consortium) and we have serious interest from several international partners.

"Mr Candy has a huge affinity with Chelsea – his father was asked to play for the club and he has been watching matches at Stamford Bridge since the age of four.

"The club deserves a world-class stadium and infrastructure and Mr Candy’s unique expertise and background in real estate would be a hugely valuable asset to delivering this vision."

Other bidders to have come forward so far include a Swiss-American consortium led by billionaires Hansjorg Wyss and Todd Boehly.

The sale of the club is being handled by the US-based Raine Group, which has set a deadline of 15 March for prospective bidders, though further bids are expected to be made.

Brandon Williams explained his decision to hug Christian Eriksen during Norwich City's recent 3-1 defeat to Brentford was pure instinct following the Dane's ordeal.

A video clip went viral on Saturday after a comical and heart-warming moment between Williams and Eriksen, who initially looked set for an angry tussle.

Eriksen grappled with Williams in an attempt to halt a Norwich attack, and the two players fell to the floor in a pile.

Williams' reaction suggested anger as he appeared about to pin the midfielder down, but upon realising who it was he was tussling with, he instead gave Eriksen a hug – the latter's confused smile as he got up said it all about the amusing exchange.

Four days on, Norwich defender Williams has spoken publicly about his gesture, which he says came from a place of awe following Eriksen's return to the football pitch less than a year after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020.

"Obviously, it was just a moment that happened, it was just instincts," Williams told Sky Sports.

"I got past him and I felt him pull me down, so we were on the attack and I was really angry.

"I was going to…hold him, but I know what he's been through, and it's incredible what he's done, and he's back now.

"It was something special for him to be on the pitch for himself, and to be involved in that, I felt like he needed a hug.

"[Eriksen's health emergency] is something that no player wants to go through, it was amazing that he's back and he's a top quality player. I'm sure he'll be back to his best very soon."

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