It is just over two months since the 2021-22 season ended in drama, with Manchester City clinching the title thanks to a stunning comeback win over Aston Villa.

That dashed Liverpool's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple, as Jurgen Klopp's side – who would go on to lose in the Champions League final six days later – settled for second.

The same top two could battle for the title again this season, and despite both Klopp and Pep Guardiola emphasising the strength of other sides in the league, some would say it is hard to see anybody being able to match their consistency, though Liverpool do have to learn without Sadio Mane, while City might need to get used to Erling Haaland.

Liverpool gained some small form of revenge by beating City 3-1 in the Community Shield on Saturday, with Haaland struggling, so it's 1-0 in the rivalry stakes in favour of Klopp heading into the campaign, though the Reds manager knows that does not mean much.

There will be stiff competition for places in the top four and, of course, the Champions League.

Chelsea have brought in Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, but Thomas Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly want more star signings, while Arsenal and their north London rivals Tottenham have been busy bolstering their squads.

Erik ten Hag is in place at Manchester United, but uncertainty surrounds the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, and the Red Devils have so far been frustrated in their attempts to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona.

Here, three Stats Perform writers share their thoughts on who will feature in the Premier League's top four come the end of the campaign.

Patric Ridge 

1. Manchester City

City were not at their best in the Community Shield, though Guardiola was keen to stress that his side have only been back together for three weeks, and they did seem rather undercooked. Haaland's competitive debut was one to forget as, as well as being outshone by Liverpool new boy Darwin Nunez, he hit the bar from six yards out. It might take time, but Haaland – who will have a timely break during the World Cup as Norway did not qualify – is too good not to thrive in this City team, even one that has sold three first-team regulars. They had just too much for Liverpool last season, and with Mane gone, expect the same outcome this term.

2. Liverpool 

If 2020-21 was an off-year for Liverpool, then last season was a glorious return to form. They fell just short in the league and in Europe, but won both the FA Cup and EFL Cup. Mane's departure to Bayern Munich was something of a blow, but the Reds already had Nunez through the door, fresh from his stunning, 34-goal campaign with Benfica, while there is little to separate Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne as the league's best players. Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz add another dimension to a world-class attack. Finish above this team, and you are champions.

3. Chelsea

It has been something of a frustrating transfer window so far for Chelsea. Sterling and Koulibaly have arrived, but that has not necessarily strengthened the squad, with club-record signing Romelu Lukaku having re-joined Inter on loan and defenders Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen having left for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Tuchel wants more, and Boehly is attempting to deliver, with Marc Cucurella a rumoured target, while another centre-back is said to be on the list too. Chelsea's business might well drag on, but they should have enough to edge out Arsenal, Spurs and United to third.

4. Arsenal

It is easy to forget, given the nature of their capitulation, that Arsenal were in the box-seat to secure a Champions League place until the final week of last season, and Mikel Arteta's side have made swift moves. It is hoped Gabriel Jesus will be the poacher Arsenal have lacked and Oleksandr Zinchenko is a fine addition. Fabio Vieira is a promising understudy to the excellent Martin Odegaard, who will be supported by Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli or Emile Smith Rowe. Spurs have strengthened, but with Antonio Conte's tendency to boil over if things do not go to plan, and the likelihood their players will be relied on heavily by their national teams at the World Cup, this could be Arsenal's year.

Ben Spratt

1. Manchester City

City were the best team in the Premier League before they made perhaps the signing of the close-season, so why would they not still be the side to beat? Of course, the departure of Sterling could have a big impact, given his knack for vital goals, but Jack Grealish will have a bigger role and has already linked up with Haaland in pre-season. Julian Alvarez adds more depth to that attack, while Kalvin Phillips does likewise in midfield. It is tough to spot a weakness.

2. Liverpool

It would be tough to justify Liverpool finishing second, not first, were their rivals not so outstanding. The Reds are right there with them, but they have not shown quite the same consistency as City over previous seasons, and it is asking a lot for Nunez to arrive from Portugal – where he enjoyed only one truly prolific season – and immediately replicate the performance levels of Mane.

3. Tottenham

Spurs have plenty going for them, and there have been some suggestions they could even trouble the top two. When we come to write our lists of winners and losers of the transfer window, Tottenham will belong firmly in the former group, and those exciting new charges – Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Djed Spence arguably all improve the first XI – are being guided by a proven winner in Conte. But the gap to City and Liverpool was huge; third place would still be a great achievement.

4. Chelsea

Tottenham may not quite belong to that elite tier, but they might also argue there is another gulf between third and fourth. Neither Chelsea, Arsenal nor United could really be surprised if they fell short of Champions League football. Like Spurs, Arsenal have enjoyed a successful transfer window, but it is difficult to have faith in a team who collapsed so spectacularly last season. For all their own frustrations in the market, I'm backing Chelsea to find a way.

John Skilbeck

1. Manchester City

City and Liverpool finished with over 90 points each last season, and the previous time that happened, in 2018-19, it was followed by a dramatic drop-off from Guardiola's reigning champions. The dethroned Manchester giants finished 18 points adrift as Liverpool captured the 2019-20 Premier League title. Yet I fancy City to take the new season's trophy, and probably by a similarly wide margin. Haaland might need a little time to adapt; after all, his former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Jadon Sancho has not found it a cakewalk to transfer his Bundesliga form across to Manchester United. But judge Haaland not by one stinking Community Shield miss but by his excellence over the last three years. City will have to reconfigure to accommodate a pure number nine, swapping Sterling for St Erling, but don't expect their winning habit to alter one jot.

2. Chelsea

The post-Abramovich era is here, and Todd Boehly is pulling the strings when it comes to transfers now. Newcomers Sterling and Koulibaly are proven performers, and while the loss of Rudiger is a blow, offloading Lukaku made complete sense. Better to take firm and decisive action than allow any unhappiness to fester and potentially spread. Chelsea had a troubling amount of injuries last season, with Ben Chilwell particularly missed, and in March coach Thomas Tuchel spoke of a "physical overload". If they are in a better place this term, expect them to fly. Tuchel's squad is loaded with first-class talent, more could soon arrive, and they look well set to pip Liverpool to second.

3. Liverpool

The loss of Mane is massive. Among the 24 players from Europe's top five leagues who managed at least 30 games and 20 goals last season, taking all competitions into account, Mane ranked sixth for the most dribbles attempted (128), eighth for the most chances created (66), third for the most through balls attempted (17) and second for the most passes into the final third (137). You can try to replace that all-round package, but Nunez is far from like-for-like and Roberto Firmino appears to be a rapidly fading force. Liverpool have kept Mohamed Salah for the foreseeable future but will need the likes of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz to step up, while midfield may have to cough up more goals than in recent seasons. Klopp's Liverpool went the distance in every competition last season, and at some point that effort is going to take a toll.

4. Manchester United

With a reasonably clean slate, wiped of the likes of Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Jesse Lingard, there should be optimism coursing through United now the estimable Ten Hag is at the helm. Christian Eriksen ought to prove a fine signing, and Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia can hardly make the defence any worse. In fact, they should significantly pep it up. Will Ronaldo stay? Now there's a knotty saga that could run until deadline day, but would it be such a bad thing if he were to leave? Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Sancho are at the stage where they ought to be giving Premier League defenders regular nightmares, and this might be the campaign where that happens.

Thomas Tuchel questioned the commitment of his Chelsea players and admitted they were "simply not good enough" in their heavy friendly defeat to Arsenal on Saturday.

The Blues were thumped 4-0 by Premier League rivals Arsenal at Camping World Stadium in Orlando in the final game of their pre-season tour of the United States.

Gabriel Jesus, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Albert Sambi Lokonga were all on target for the Gunners, who looked far sharper in front of the 64,000 watching spectators.

And with the new season just two weeks away, Chelsea head coach Tuchel is worried about what he saw from his side.

"I think we deserved to lose – which is fair enough – because we were simply not good enough," he said.

"We were absolutely not competitive. The worrying part is the level of commitment, physically and mentally, was not the same – it was far higher for Arsenal than us.

"We can argue they played with I think their strongest line-up; they've had now together several weeks and for more than one year. 

"They've strengthened their line-up, played the same structure, and this is the line-up they'll try to start Premier League games.

"It was not our strongest line-up and this is part of an explanation, but only a little part. The other part is worrying."

First-team regulars Edouard Mendy, Reece James, Jorginho and Mason Mount started the game, while new signings Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly also featured.

Chelsea were also beaten on penalties by MLS side Charlotte FC earlier in the week after a 1-1 draw in normal time, which followed on from a 2-1 win against Club America.

The Blues round off their pre-season programme away at Udinese next week before facing Everton in their opening Premier League game on August 6.

Tuchel has made clear he wants to further strengthen his squad before that trip to Goodison Park, with Jules Kounde reportedly close to joining from Sevilla.

"The analysing of the season does not change because of this game," Tuchel said when asked about the need to bring in more new signings. 

"Unfortunately, it proved my point and the last week proves my point. I would prefer to not be right and I did everything to prove myself wrong.

"But at the moment I feel I was right when I look at the last season and at the parts of the game where we struggled and how we struggled.

"We got sanctioned and players left us, we know that some players are trying to leave us, and this is where it is. 

"We've got two quality players – that is no doubt – but we are not competitive like this and unfortunately we could see it today."

Chelsea finished third in the Premier League last season, a distant 18 points behind runners-up Liverpool and 19 behind champions Manchester City.

Tuchel, who was not prepared to use fatigue as an excuse for the Arsenal loss, accepts his side cannot realistically think about making up the gap on the top two. 

"At the moment, given the last two weeks, given our last week and given the game today we should not mention the two teams in front of us," he said.

"We got absolutely beaten by a team that does not play Champions League next season, that is behind us. And it seems at the moment far ahead of us."

Tuchel added: "I am a huge fan of a strong pre-season for everything: for the atmosphere, for the feeling, for the performance, for the belief.

"We need to find solutions. We fly home now and then we have one-and-a-half days only and Tuesday afternoon we need to present solutions. 

"We need to present actions. We, me, the coaching staff, together with our team to stand up again and find a way through this because it hurts at the moment."

Thomas Tuchel does not intend to give in to Cesar Azpilicueta's demand for a cut-price exit to Barcelona. 

Azpilicueta has reportedly asked to leave Stamford Bridge for Barca, who have already signed Andreas Christensen after his Blues contract expired.

It has been suggested that a £55million move for Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde could pave the way for the Spaniard to leave for Camp Nou. 

However, Tuchel is standing firm and does not want to let Azpilicueta leave on the cheap, saying he was "maybe a little bit" annoyed by Barca's pursuit of the player. 

"It's a tough question because I'm not sure if I want to give Azpi what he wants," said Tuchel, as quoted by Standard Sport. 

"At some point it is about what we want. I just made the comparison about how much we fought for [Kalidou] Koulibaly, who is a national team player and roughly the same age. 

"He is a hugely important player for Napoli but we have a Spanish international who is the captain at Chelsea. I see him maybe at the same level, but Barcelona don't see him on that level. So I am not sure if I want to give him what he wants as he is a huge player. 

"We don't think so much about other clubs. The focus is on us and what we need. I said that to him and I say it to you that I understand on a personal and a career level. But I am not only in this role to give him what he wants. I am a manager for Chelsea who wants to do what's best for Chelsea. 

"He doesn't like it but he understands. It is tough for him because the other club is permanently on him. On September 1 when things calm down, then he can play on his highest level." 

Tuchel poured cold water on reports that striker Timo Werner is keen to return to Germany after failing to make an impact following his arrival from RB Leipzig in 2020. 

"I don't think so, so I don't know about it. Timo has not talked to me about it," said Tuchel. 

"At the moment I think he wants to make his way at Chelsea. He still has to prove a point." 

Raheem Sterling hailed the "winning mentality" of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea side as he targeted silverware after swapping Manchester City for the Blues.

Having won four Premier League titles in a successful seven-year spell with City, Sterling completed a £45million move to Chelsea earlier this month.

Chelsea's top league goalscorer last season was Sterling's England team-mate Mason Mount with 11, and the signing of the 27-year-old Sterling should give the Blues more cutting edge. Sterling's haul of 91 Premier League goals is a total that has been bettered only among City players by Sergio Aguero (184).

Chelsea have not won a Premier League title since Antonio Conte's men triumphed in the 2016-17 season, but they have collected several pieces of silverware in the intervening years.

The Stamford Bridge outfit have won the Champions League, Europa League, FIFA Club World Cup and both domestic cups since that success, and Sterling's desire to lift major trophies was a key factor in his decision to make the move.

"In the last two years, it's four or five finals that you guys have been in, you won the Champions League and are now looking to challenge for the Premier League," Sterling told Chelsea's website.

"It's something that intrigued me when I was having a conversation with the club.

"Seeing the direction that you guys are going in, it's something I really bought into and I just felt it is a place where I can really come into my own. I just think it's the perfect platform for me.

"The club's already got that winning mentality, but to keep doing it every single year and keep winning more and more trophies and building on the previous season, I think that's what top managers like Thomas do.

"It's not one year win and next year rest, it's again and again and again, and that's what excites me to be here."

Having been allowed to leave City to make room for marquee arrival Erling Haaland, Sterling explained how Tuchel's faith in him was also a crucial consideration.

"You can see how genuine he was and how much he wanted me here, and that was the nail on it for me," Sterling said. "I was certain that this is a place I want to be.

"I feel at home already, and I'm just going to keep putting the work in and can't wait to gel even more with [my team-mates].

"I know how much more I have to offer. I still feel within myself that there's another step that I've been fighting to get to, and I think this is the perfect platform for me to do that."

Sterling could make his Premier League debut for Chelsea when they travel to Everton on August 6.

Thomas Tuchel says he cannot understand why Timo Werner would be unhappy at Chelsea and urged the forward to "show quality" in order to become a regular starter.

Werner has endured a frustrating two years with the Blues following his big-money move from RB Leipzig two years ago.

The Germany international has failed to establish himself in the starting line-up, having scored only 10 Premier League goals in two seasons for the London club.

Werner was on target in a 2-1 friendly win over Club America last weekend and suggested after that friendly that he could leave Stamford Bridge, as he needs regular first-team football ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.

The 26-year-old missed out due to a hamstring injury as Chelsea were beaten 5-3 on penalties by Charlotte FC on Wednesday after the two sides had been level at 1-1.

Blues boss Tuchel raised eyebrows over his compatriot Werner's comments following the midweek defeat.

He said: "I'm surprised, I would be very happy as a young guy having a contract at Chelsea Football Club. I would be one of the happiest people on the planet."

Asked how Werner can go about forcing his way into the team, Tuchel replied: "Show quality, take your place and defend your place.

"I would be one of the happiest people on the planet having a contract with Chelsea. If he said this, I do not understand."

Tuchel has no intention of allowing Werner to move on.

When asked if he will be a Chelsea player in the upcoming season, Tuchel said: "Sure, he is our player, sure."

Tuchel revealed that Cesar Azpilicueta, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ross Barkley were unavailable to face Charlotte due to injury.

Thomas Tuchel suggested Armando Broja will remain a Chelsea player amid transfer speculation, while the Blues head coach still wants a "couple more" arrivals at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham, Everton and Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Broja, who scored six goals in 32 Premier League appearances on loan at Southampton last season.

With Romelu Lukaku loaned back to Inter, the future of Timo Werner somewhat uncertain and Kai Havertz arguably more suited to a deeper role, the 2022-23 campaign could be a breakthrough one for Broja at Chelsea.

While Tuchel's preference seems to remain with Havertz as a false nine, the Blues boss outlined his expectations that Broja will stay with his side for the upcoming campaign.

"I don't expect him to leave," Tuchel told a news conference. "We are aware of interest and offers, which just tells us there is a lot of potential, and the owners and me will take this decision together in the end, also with the player.

"Right now when he arrived, it's clear he's trying to impress and is just trying to become a Chelsea player as soon as possible.

"After his loan at Southampton, the situation was very clear for him to make the next step, to show his improvement and make an impression in pre-season.

"Unfortunately he injured himself and of course there is a lot of noise going on because there are offers and interest in him. Let's see how this goes but I'm pretty calm about it because we know the situation and we have a contract."

Tuchel has already brought in the experienced Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly from Manchester City and Napoli respectively, but lost Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Lukaku.

The Chelsea coach previously stated his top target was Sterling, who scored 17 goals in all competitions for City last season, a tally bettered by only Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19).

But Tuchel acknowledged he would now like a couple more signings, with Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde among those linked with the Premier League side.

"I have a figure and I think we need a couple more players in to improve the squad," he added. "We were third last season and there was a gap between us, Manchester City and Liverpool.

"In general if you want to fight, even for the same position, you need to improve. You can never stand still because if you stand still then other teams will overtake you.

"Given the situation that we even lost players, it's common sense for me that we need to bring new quality to the team to maintain our level.

"It's always the dream of every manager that you find players in the same league and who can adapt maybe quicker than other players, but it's also a very individual process.

"Of course we see that Raheem knows many players from the national team and he is very familiar with the habits of English clubs so this is very nice to see.

"For Kalidou, it's a big help that we have some French guys, that we have Edou [Mendy] his team-mate in the national team and of course Jorginho who is a big help from Napoli to make this process faster.

"Both of them should be huge players for us and that's why we need to speed things up."

Kai Havertz hopes to repay the trust of Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea in the absence of Romelu Lukaku, while the Germany international cannot wait to learn from Raheem Sterling.

Tuchel has previously used Havertz as a false nine to lead the Blues line, with Lukaku either injured or unselected, but the striker scored just eight times in 29 Premier League appearances last season.

With Lukaku returning to Inter on loan, Tuchel ruling out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski joining Barcelona, Havertz will likely be tasked with the role up top once more.

Though the former Bayer Leverkusen star acknowledged he did not expect the positional switch, Havertz is aiming to make the role his own and give Tuchel reason to have faith in him.

"I've played a lot of positions over the years but last season I played a lot as a number nine and it's a position I like very much," he told reporters.

"If I look back four years ago, I could never have imagined playing there. But the last two years I've played it more often and I like the position.

"It's still good that I am flexible and can play different positions up front, but I am there to score goals and make assists and as a number nine you have to do that and link up with players.

"Consistency in football is a very big word; we play every three days and we have to always keep the level high. It's also the case for me to be consistent in every match and to score as many goals as I can.

"Sometimes, it's normal that for one game you drop the level. It's not always possible to score five goals in every game. Consistency for me is a big point and I try to work on that.

"I need to get that confidence from the coach, I need the trust of the coach. Sometimes also in the bad times too. He has always given that trust to me in the last couple of years.

"It is always good for a striker, and me as well, [to know that]. I'm still young. If you are playing and on the pitch, you always have to take the responsibility.

"I will definitely try to play again as much as I can this season. Hopefully, it is going to be a better year than last year."

If Havertz wants to improve his goalscoring ability and finishing, he has to look no further for advice than from Sterling, who joined from Manchester CIty on a five-year deal last week.

Since Pep Guardiola became City coach in 2016, Sterling has scored 27 Premier League goals from inside the six-yard box, which is five more than anyone else (Harry Kane, 22).

The England international averaged almost a goal every other game (one every 179 minutes) in the Premier League under Guardiola, with his haul of 85 bettered by only five players since the start of the 2016-17 season.

"We all know that he is a great player," Havertz said of Sterling. "I saw a stat about him that he has had the most goals and assists for Man City in the last five years or something like that. That tells the whole story of him.

"He was a great player for City and the national team as well, hopefully, he can keep up his level here. For me and of course, for everyone, he is going to help.

"I think in every game you can see that. I know the game against England at the Euros, he played well. You can see his quality here already and it's been just a few days.

"You can see in training how good he is, how fast he is. He is definitely going to help us."

Kalidou Koulibaly has also joined Chelsea as the second signing of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital era at Stamford Bridge, and Havertz is delighted to have new ownership after a turbulent last season.

"It was a crazy time for all of us," Havertz said, referencing former owner Roman Abramovich's sanctions. "There were then a lot of changes in the club which was strange for all of us, but we came through it.

"I think it helps that in the team we all get to know each other and also in different or difficult situations that everyone is together so I think it helped us as well.

"I think we are a special group. We see that in the changing room away from the pitch and on the pitch. We have a lot of young players who are maybe the same age.

"We have a lot of experienced players and I think we all fit together very well. You see it off the pitch that it is hopefully going to be a special year for us."

Thomas Tuchel says his decision to loan out Conor Gallagher has been vindicated, with the England international returning to be a "big asset" at Stamford Bridge next season.

Gallagher is yet to play a first-team minute for boyhood club Chelsea, having spent the past two seasons on loan in the Premier League at West Brom and Crystal Palace.

The midfielder was involved in 11 goals in the 2021-22 season with Palace, a tally only Wilfried Zaha (15) bettered for Patrick Vieira's side in the league.

Gallagher revealed earlier in the week that Chelsea boss Tuchel had offered assurances he viewed the 2022-23 campaign as a breakthrough opportunity, having earned his chance after impressive loan spells.

The 22-year-old caught the eye in his first outing in the United States with the Blues, who defeated Mexican side Club America 2-1, and Tuchel again backed the academy graduate.

"Conor trains at a really high level, and you can clearly see it was the right decision to let him go on loan," Tuchel said of Gallagher, who Everton are reportedly interested in.

"He made a huge step in his development at Palace and became an England player. It was a very good start and a good match for him.

"Now it's important he gets used to our principles of the game, to understand when to move and when not to move, and his work rate is outstanding. He can be a big asset for us."

Mason Mount secured the victory in Chelsea's pre-season opener after a Reece James own goal had cancelled out Timo Werner's strike, and the presence of Ben Chilwell served as another positive note for Tuchel.

Chilwell missed a large part of the 2021-22 campaign, playing just 541 Premier League minutes, after requiring knee surgery before returning on the final day of the season against Watford.

"I'm super happy that he's back," Tuchel added. "It's a difference from training to playing a game and he will take time, but he will get there because he deserves it and we will support him on his way back.

"I'm happy that nobody's injured after a very physical game and a very physical two weeks."

While Mount and Werner were on target, Michy Batshuayi and Kai Havertz squandered presentable opportunities but Tuchel expects players to find their feet in time.

"Timo played 45 minutes like everybody else and Timo scored," the German continued. "That's what counts and from there we go. There is always stuff to improve, but it's the first match.

"Kai had a big chance, Michy had a big chance, Timo took the chance and Mason did also.

"I count on the fact that as they become more experienced, they maybe become more calm and adapt more and more.

"They're still young players and what we want from them is that they stay confident, stay focused, and do what they need to do as strikers."

Chelsea face Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC, Arsenal and Udinese to conclude their pre-season campaign ahead of their Premier League opener at Everton on August 6.

Thomas Tuchel has suggested that Chelsea could avoid signing players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 in future.

N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have both missed the Blues' tour of the United States due to being unvaccinated, with their pre-season preparations taking place back in London with the youth teams instead.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of Chelsea's friendly against Mexican side Club America, Tuchel was asked if he would take vaccine status into consideration when it came to future transfer targets.

"Yes, it has to [be a factor]," Tuchel said.. "I knew some players who I would also take without vaccination. I have to say, but yes, it is a part of daily life at the moment.

"We cannot force [players to get vaccinated]. It is at the moment a very normal decision to get vaccinated. Both players took the decision not to. We need to follow the rules. They cannot join us. They know about the consequences.

"We don't like it. Of course not. We would love to have them here and it is not an ideal solution. Far from ideal. But, once the situation is like this you need to come up with a solution.

"They train with the Under-23s. Then they go with the Under-19s... but it will not compensate. It will not be the same [as being with the first team]."

Chelsea went on to secure a 2-1 win against Club America on Saturday thanks to second-half goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount either side of a Reece James own goal.

After the victory, Tuchel was asked by reporters about the arrival of Kalidou Koulibaly, who joined Chelsea on Saturday from Napoli for a reported fee of £33.8million (€40m).

"He brings experience, quality, top defending, quality, height, everything we're looking for to play a back three of back four," Tuchel said about his new centre-back. 

"It's a brilliant signing, another brilliant signing for us, and we hope that he can show his quality as soon as possible. He is now training outside after he arrived yesterday, and we're very happy.

"He knows some of the players – he plays with [Edouard Mendy] with the national team and knows [Jorginho] from Napoli – so I think from this side, it will be quick that he feels welcome in the group. It's a nice group, and everyone is happy he is with us now."

The 31-year-old will likely line up alongside Thiago Silva, who joined the club two seasons ago as a 35-year-old, and Tuchel is backing Koulibaly to have a similar impact to the Brazil international despite arriving in the latter stages of his career.

"That's what we believe [that his peak years are still to come], and that's what he is here for," the Blues head coach added.

"There were always rumours about him leaving Napoli, and it was always super difficult – and in the end impossible – to get him because he was a key player.

"It's nice he takes the challenge right now, and we have Thiago Silva, who is even older and super experienced and still at the peak of his game.

"We hope Kalidou can do the same and play for many years for us. He is totally fit and ready for the challenge, and he needs to be because we need him in top shape."

Thomas Tuchel insisted Armando Broja is not for sale "at the moment" as he detailed a knock sustained by the Chelsea striker in pre-season.

Chelsea academy graduate Broja spent last season out on loan at Southampton, scoring six Premier League goals along with three more in cup competitions.

The 20-year-old is said to be a top transfer target for multiple Premier League clubs ahead of the new season.

Newcastle United have been linked, while reports on Saturday claimed West Ham had launched a £30million bid.

However, head coach Tuchel, speaking from Chelsea's pre-season camp in the United States, ruled out a departure as he suggested Broja's focus was on becoming a first-team player at Stamford Bridge.

His hopes of impressing before the start of the new season have been hampered, though, following an ankle issue in training.

"Armando is our player first of all, and we have at the moment no interest in selling him," Tuchel said.

"He is here to make an impression after he was on loan in Southampton. It's good there's interest; it shows us that there is a talent and potential.

"Armando is in the position to impress and to become a Chelsea player. When? Nobody knows, but hopefully as soon as possible.

"He got injured. It's never nice because the young players should normally make an impression during pre-season from the very first minute. Now we have a little delay in that."

Outlining the nature of the physical blow sustained by Broja, Tuchel said: "He had a little accident yesterday in training with ball control and landed in a funny way on his ankle and on his Achilles.

"So, he's in pain, but nothing major. We did all the examinations, and it's just pain, and he's lucky that he did not get injured, and we are lucky and happy that he did not injure himself.

"So, he will not be in training today [Friday]; he's in treatment."

Thomas Tuchel says he has no issue with N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek after they missed Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States due to not being fully vaccinated.

Kante and Loftus-Cheek did not travel to the USA with the rest of the squad for training and three friendlies.

The midfield duo have instead been training at Cobham and although Blues head coach Tuchel says their absence is far from ideal, he accepts the choices they have made.

"We don't blame people and don't put the finger on them," said the German.

"There's a personal decision to take and both of them took their personal decision.

"It doesn't matter if I understand it, if I like it or, for the professional life, it's a disadvantage right now.

"We would have liked both of them here but once we knew, we needed to provide the best solution, which is to provide training at Cobham on a high physical level. They will be fit when we are back there."

Kante has been sidelined by a knee injury, but Tuchel expects the France midfielder to be play a big part in the upcoming season.

"N'Golo knows what pre-season is all about and for him especially it gives us the possibility to build him up very individually," he added.

"He has coaches there in London who take care of him and he is integrated in the Under-23 and Under-19 training, so he also has team training.

"We need N'Golo to have more minutes on the pitch. He is one of our key figures and the key players need to be on the pitch otherwise they cannot be key players, so this is how we are handling things at the moment."

Thomas Tuchel acknowledged he did not expect to outlast Roman Abramovich and influential board members at Chelsea, while Romelu Lukaku made it "very clear he wanted to leave".

Chelsea have undergone wholesale change at Stamford Bridge since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the club, with numerous departures at the top of the hierarchy.

Owner Abramovich, hampered by the sanctions imposed on him following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ended a 19-year spell with the Premier League side, while Bruce Buck stepped down as chairman.

Director and chief decision-maker Marina Granovskaia is also set to leave after 12 years, and technical and performance advisor Petr Cech was another departure as the boardroom reshuffle continued.

Granovskaia will remain available to Boehly, who is acting as interim sporting director and chairman, for the duration of the current transfer window to help with the transitional period.

The exodus in the Chelsea boardroom has led head coach Tuchel to be more involved with transfer activity, but the German hopes that he will not be required to participate as actively in negotiations in the longer term.

"It is intense," Tuchel said of the new era at Chelsea. "Everybody needs to find their role and have to adjust and adapt, of course.

"[My job] has changed a lot at the moment. I could never have imagined that I stayed longer at the club than Roman, Marina and Petr. 

"This was impossible so now with Marina not in charge and Petr not here anymore it has changed a lot. It's not my favourite thing to do and in the long run the focus has to be on coaching because it is why I am here.

"But, at the moment, of course my help is needed and wanted, and it is necessary that I step up and take the responsibility. 

"I am in contact with Todd directly on a daily basis and sometimes more than once on a daily basis because we are aware that we have a club in transition and change.

"My concern is for the team to be competitive and for this we have to invest a lot of time and we need to be hands on. There is no other way. 

"We compete not only against the best teams, but also against the best managers. We need to be competitive and replace big players and infuse quality.

"I think it's important for everybody at Cobham to take a little bit more responsibility, not only for me."

Tuchel has lost numerous key leaders from his side, with Antonio Rudiger going to Real Madrid and Andreas Christensen to Barcelona, where Cesar Azpilicueta could reportedly join as well.

Lukaku was another departure, sent out on loan to Inter, just a season after Chelsea spent a club-record £97.5million to bring the striker back to London.

The Belgium international labelled his return to Chelsea as a "mistake" on Thursday, and Tuchel suggested it was Lukaku who was intent on returning to Italy for the 2022-23 season.

"There has never been a meeting where I said 'I want this guy out'," said Tuchel. "Never. I was always clear – if he stays we will do everything to put him in a better place, to put him in better shape, to improve my style of coaching, our style of playing, to make him a better fit. 

"It was always a possibility he stayed, but Romelu made it very clear he wanted to leave and the owners took the decision to make the decision straight away.

"Disappointed is the wrong word. I don't know a better word in English. It feels like I take it personally – it's never personal. I am not happy that we couldn't bring more out of him.

"Maybe it would have just taken a bit more time. A bit more fitness, a bit more adaptation in our game. Who knows? But we will not find out.

"Once Romelu gave his clear opinion on the situation and there was a solution on the table, the owners made their choice and had my blessing."

Thomas Tuchel has achieved his "top priority" for the transfer window by signing Raheem Sterling, while the Chelsea head coach cannot foresee Robert Lewandowski arriving.

Sterling joined Manchester City for a reported fee in the region of £45million on Wednesday, as Chelsea confirmed their first signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the Blues.

The England international, who signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, scored 17 goals in all competitions for City last season, a tally bettered by only Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19).

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has also been linked to Stamford Bridge, alongside Barcelona's top target Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski scored 50 goals in all competitions last term, the most of any player across Europe's top five leagues, and Tuchel appreciates his quality but does not envisage bringing him in.

"I don't think we have a chance for Lewandowski but if there is a chance, he is one of the best number nines," said Tuchel.

"The priority is not on the number nine position right now. We have our top priority [Sterling], we have got our top priority signed. It makes me very, very happy and from there we are very flexible.

"He was the absolute number one for that position. I gave his name to Todd straight away. Every time we played against him, he's horrible to play against, horrible!

"The main point is his intensity and the amount of repetition of intensity that he delivers. This is simply outstanding over the last years.

"It's exactly what we need to raise the level of our players. That's why we are so sure and that's why he was, for us, top of the list.

"Our goal threat should be enough right now. If we think something crazy comes up that we don’t see, maybe we will get involved, maybe not."

The versatile Sterling is expected to bring experience to the Chelsea attack, a feature lacking at the back for the Blues after the departure of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Cesar Azpilicueta is reportedly wanted by Barca as well, while Chelsea appear set to bring in Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly to somewhat fill the void in defence.

The minimum requirement for success under Boehly will be a top-four Premier League finish to qualify for the Champions League, and Tuchel acknowledged he must rebuild to develop a competitive squad.

"I think with Thiago [Silva] in the middle, Toni on the left and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] or Andreas [on the right] we had the best back-three in the world," he added.

"It's possible [to rebuild at short notice]. We can, we have to. I think we can put a structure in place and we have a structure on which we can rely on.

"For example, if we play against Everton, Thiago can play, Trevoh Chalobah can hopefully play, and Azpi is at the moment here. 

"If there are guys still to be signed or not fully aware of the principles, I don't want to use it as an excuse. When I came in, I had one day to start with the back-three because it was a fit and I still think it will be a fit.

"The first 10 days or 11 days with the group have been outstanding. The mentality, worth ethic and quality in training is absolutely impressive and this makes me very happy.

"I want to be ready when we play Everton. I want to win and I will demand it from myself, my team and all my players.

"The team will be strong. I am not ready to use it as an excuse even though it is maybe true that we are in transition. We can, I can focus, I think the team can focus on what makes us strong and we can take it step by step and work out how to win games."

While Chelsea made their long-awaited first signing in Sterling, top-four rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City have all been busy in the transfer window.

Tuchel was quick to hail the transfer dealings of Antonio Conte, who looks set to seal his sixth signing of the transfer window in Djed Spence, and conceded Chelsea will have to catch up with their competitors.

"I mean it when I said we fight against the best teams and the best coaches, which does not make life easier and they set the bar so high last season, but we start again from scratch," said Tuchel. 

"So we will try again. I can promise you that everybody is ready to try again. We will not give in before we play games. That's why the sanctions did not help. We lost important players and the other teams are recruiting, and did not have the losses that we had.

"If you look at the transfer period of Tottenham with Antonio Conte, it's maybe the strongest team they ever built. Manchester United will not give in, Arsenal will not give in, they've made two big signings already, so we are aware of the situation and try to do our best to be competitive."

Romelu Lukaku admitted during the unveiling of Inter's new playing strip that it was a mistake to leave the club and head back to Chelsea.

Lukaku, 29, had a superb run with Inter after arriving at the club from Manchester United ahead of the 2019-20 season, scoring a combined 64 goals from 95 club appearances across two seasons.

His stellar play in Italy caught the attention of his former club from Stamford Bridge, who opted to bring him back for a club-record fee of £97.5million.

The Belgian's return to the Premier League was disappointing, regularly finding himself out of Chelsea's best XI even when healthy, finishing with just eight goals in 26 league games, prompting a £7m loan move back to the Serie A to try and recoup some of Chelsea's sunk cost.

During the kit unveiling, Lukaku was asked what the toughest challenge of his career has been, and he made it clear how he felt about his second stint with Chelsea.

"The one right now," he responded. "You know, I left, it was a mistake.

"What we do in the locker room and on the pitch, the relationships we have with each other, that’s really important… it’s also right for people to see that our team is really united.

"Inter have given me the opportunity to play at a higher level in my career. I am really happy to wear this jersey, we hope to continue to grow like in the past years. We have to continue like this if we want to reach the goal."

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel may also share Lukaku's belief that he does not have a future with the London club, telling Sky Sports "I don't know if it's very likely" that he ever returns to Stamford Bridge after his loan.

"Given the fact he's just on loan, of course there's a chance," he said. "I don't know if it's very likely, but it's not on me to give an outlook on that."

He added: "We decided together with the owners that we'd let (Lukaku) go. It was his wish to go, he had the possibility, we let him go.

"We brought now Raheem Sterling, which gives us a lot of flexibility, a lot of mobility, a lot of attacking options at the front, even if we don't recruit more players."

Conor Gallagher has no plans of leaving Chelsea this transfer window, labelling the upcoming season as the season to make his breakthrough after support from Thomas Tuchel.

Gallagher is yet to make a Premier League appearance for boyhood club Chelsea, though he has impressed on his last two top-flight loan spells with West Brom and Crystal Palace.

The England international managed 11 goal involvements in the 2021-22 season with Palace, a tally bettered only by Wilfried Zaha (15) for Patrick Vieira's side in the league.

With the upcoming Qatar World Cup in November, Gallagher understands the importance of regular first-team minutes in the 2022-23 season as he looks to make his mark at Stamford Bridge.

N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount are among his midfield competitors at Chelsea, but Gallagher expects to be in the running for the starting XI.

"I feel like this is the season," he told reporters. "I've been a Chelsea fan my whole life, my family have, it's been a dream to play [for Chelsea] but I want to try and impress, and play as much football as I can and affect the game when I'm on the pitch.

"[Tuchel] said he wants me to be part of the squad and to prove myself in pre-season, so that's the plan. I'm happy with that and just willing to work as hard as I can to prove to him that I can play for Chelsea.

"It's what I wanted to hear, it was a nice phone call that we had and it gave me a clear plan of pre-season and where I'm going to be. It was great to hear."

Gallagher was quick to credit the influence of Vieira at Palace, expressing his gratitude for the efforts the coaching staff at Selhurst Park made to improve him.

Tuchel has added more international experience to his ranks, with England international Raheem Sterling joining Chelsea, and Gallagher hopes to improve alongside world-class players.

"Everyone wants to play as much as they can, but I'm willing to work as hard as I can to be on the pitch as much as possible," Gallagher said.

"There's world-class players in the squad and it's obviously a tough team to get into, but I feel like if that challenge is there, I think I'd be a bit silly not to take it," he added.

"With Chelsea being my club as well that I've supported, it's very exciting.

"I'm very keen [to play at the World Cup] because every English player wants to play for England and in a World Cup would be very special. And of course, it's very important that I'll be playing games and performing.

"The call-up was a very proud moment, for sure. But it didn't change the way I thought of myself or anything.

"It was nice to get that recognition and belief from the manager. It's very important to stay humble and do everything you can to perform well."

Mount was one of the first Chelsea players to welcome the arrival of Sterling on Wednesday, and Gallagher echoed his team-mate's sentiments as he reflected on the experience the forward will bring to the side.

"I think it's brilliant. It will only benefit Chelsea and himself," Gallagher said of the Sterling signing.

"Everyone's very excited for him to be playing and I know the fans are very excited as well. He's a great professional, very relaxed off the pitch, and does the right things.

"I feel like the young lads feel like they can talk to him as well because he's got a lot of experience in England and in the Premier League. So yeah, it's a massive signing, and I'm sure he's going to do his thing when he's here."