Thomas Tuchel maintained his unbeaten start to life at Chelsea as goals from Mason Mount and Jorginho sealed a 2-1 Premier League win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Sunday. 

The German's first game in charge after replacing Frank Lampard was an underwhelming 0-0 draw with Wolves, but he has now masterminded three wins on the spin to move the Blues up to fifth, one point behind fourth-place Liverpool. 

They did not have it all their own way against Chris Wilder's side, however, the Yorkshire side cancelling out Mount's first-half opener after the interval courtesy of a slapstick own goal from Antonio Rudiger. 

Chelsea secured all three points soon after, though, when Jorginho followed up his decisive penalty against Tottenham in midweek with another successful spot-kick. 

Oliver Burke squandered a glorious opportunity to give the hosts a first-minute lead, the Scotland international lashing into the side netting after being played through by Oliver McBurnie. 

Timo Werner was then denied at the other end as Chris Basham tracked back superbly to clear his flicked effort over the outrushing Aaron Ramsdale. 

Basham thought he had earned a penalty for his side after 12 minutes when he was brought down inside the area by Ben Chilwell, but a VAR review showed that the defender had strayed into an offside position. 

The Blues went ahead two minutes before the interval, Mount superbly sweeping into Ramsdale's bottom-left corner from 15 yards after being picked out by Werner. 

The hosts were gifted an equaliser in the 54th minute when Rudiger's attempted backpass to Edouard Mendy rolled past the Senegal international and into the bottom corner. 

The Germany defender's blushes were spared four minutes later when Jorginho slotted home from the spot after Ramsdale had brought Werner down in the box, the decision given after referee Kevin Friend was advised to view the pitchside monitor.

United rarely looked like salvaging a point after that, with Chelsea comfortably holding on for an 18th win in their last 24 top-flight matches against teams from Yorkshire.

Thomas Tuchel will not prove difficult for the hierarchy at Chelsea to deal with and could define an era at Stamford Bridge, according to Michael Ballack.

Chelsea appointed Tuchel in January after dismissing Frank Lampard following a run of two wins in eight Premier League matches.

The 47-year-old German had been sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in December following a public falling out with sporting director Leonardo, and before that he left Borussia Dortmund following a breakdown in relations with club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

However, former Chelsea midfielder Ballack does not anticipate a repeat of the same issues in west London for Tuchel, who has won twice and drawn once in his first three games in charge.

Ballack told Stats Perform News: "I believe that the people at Chelsea intensely thought about who could succeed Frank. He was a younger and less experienced coach. Now there is Tuchel who isn't really much older but someone who had a lot more experience managing big clubs. He already has proven what he can do.

"Personally, I wouldn't say that he is hard to handle. I believe that Thomas Tuchel has precise ideas of how he wants to play and he communicates that.

"He has shown at PSG that he can work with tough characters. Some people might not have believed it at first. He reached the Champions League final and so forth. He has proven that he can reach the target at various levels.

"Chelsea is a completely new environment. I don't think that he will get into a conflict with his superiors, as he can work fairly quiet. I know that from personal experience.

"Of course, the requirements are now a lot higher. As Frank had to find out. As long as he can win games, he can get himself some space. Maybe he'll become the manager to implement his ideas in the long run, to maybe define an era at Chelsea."

Tuchel is the 12th permanent Chelsea boss since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003 and Ballack thinks the burden of expectation weighs heavily on whoever is in the dugout, with a spend of over £200million on reinforcements for this season playing a significant part.

"Chelsea have to be criticised that they aren't famous for their continuity regarding their managers. This is also due to the immense pressure from the club to have success, that is weighing down on everyone. Especially the coach," said Ballack.

"With that budget and the investments that are made in form of player transfers, there is automatically a form of pressure.

"Frank suffered from that because he slipped out of these positions [the top four] temporarily. He was therefore directly under pressure and in return lost his job.

"After those transfers in the summer Chelsea were under pressure. Frank had to feel that. I believe that Frank is enough of a professional to know what he can expect when signing at his club, in which he was valued highly."

Thomas Tuchel is convinced Mason Mount will show him the same dedication he gave Frank Lampard and prove that nice guys can win in football.

The young England midfielder was portrayed with some justification as a protege and favourite of Lampard, who was sacked by Chelsea last month after a slump in results.

Mount was quick to thank Lampard for his guidance after the Blues board decided the club legend had to go, and was then left out of Tuchel's first starting XI.

However, former Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel has been quickly won over by Mount's charms, with the 22-year-old restored to the line-up for the wins over Burnley and Tottenham.

A regular start is Mount's for the taking, as long as he continues to make progress, with Tuchel believing there is plenty more to come from the creative youngster.

"On Mason, I cannot tell you where his limit is. It is obvious that he has a lot of potential," Tuchel said.

"Besides that he's a great footballer, he is a super nice guy. He is eager to win, he is hungry to learn, he is open-minded and he can perform for any manager.

"This is the best thing. He really means it, he has this internal motivation and he is a very nice guy with a big personality and what else can you wish for?

"He was always very good. Under Frank he was a regular starter and it was clear he was a team player with the potential that he has.

"We didn't pick him for the first game because we opted for a slightly different profile for the two number 10 positions. When he came in, he showed what a big influence he can have from the bench.

"You can be very sure that Mason leaves his heart on the pitch for Chelsea, and this is what we need. He is an absolute team player."

Mount occupied a 'false nine' role for much of the 1-0 win at Tottenham on Thursday, which lifted Chelsea to sixth place in the Premier League, but he left the pitch feeling he could have done better with a number of chances.

The message from Tuchel was one of reassurance.

"He is still young, there is still room to improve, but I told him not to worry," the head coach said.

"You can be more decisive and even more dangerous with your decisions in the very last minutes of the match, but if we have to suffer, we suffer and we defend, and for that I am very happy with his performances.

"I told the team if things get complicated or if things are not too easy getting a second or third goal, we have to experience moments where we can win a game like this – we have to experience it, it is not enough for the coach to tell you.

"This is what we did. We played with Mason dropping from a nine to a 10 position because we wanted two wide strikers and to have Mason finding the space between the lines. He did good."

Chelsea travel to face bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Sunday, with Tuchel looking for a fourth successive clean sheet at the outset of his career with the Blues.

He will take nothing for granted against a United side who, like Chelsea, are on an upswing in form themselves, having begun the campaign desperately.

United have won three of their four home Premier League matches against Chelsea (L1), winning twice in 1993 and 3-0 last season.

A more telling statistic may be that United have won two of their last three home league games (L1), netting as many goals in those three games as they had in their previous nine at Bramall Lane (4).

"The important thing is not to lose focus," Tuchel said.

"Maybe we need some changes so that we are sharp again, physical again and able to compete on the highest level in an away game against a strong, physical Sheffield United side that won the last game. This is all we have an influence on."

Mason Mount said Chelsea should have finished off struggling Tottenham long before the end of their 1-0 Premier League win. 

The victory for Thomas Tuchel's visitors to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium came thanks to Jorginho's first-half penalty, awarded after Eric Dier hacked down Timo Werner. 

By failing to capitalise on a host of chances, Chelsea rather let Tottenham off the hook and the hosts had a couple of late openings that could have led to an equaliser. 

There was no doubting Chelsea were the superior side, however, as they climbed to sixth, four points behind fourth-placed Liverpool. 

Mount said: "We should have scored more in the game. I had a couple of chances, we had a couple of other chances where we should have been way more clinical in front of goal. 

"That's something we need to work on, myself as well." 

Mount enjoyed an advanced role as new head coach Tuchel tinkered with his line-up, and the England midfielder spoke positively about the experimentation. 

He told BT Sport: "It's new for some of us players, especially me today, maybe playing a bit as a false nine, dropping into the 10 and helping the midfield out. 

"We're all learning but it's going well so far. I didn't have my shooting boots on today so that's something to work on during the week."

Tuchel saw his team dominate the first 45 minutes but Tottenham had more of the ball after the break, albeit without looking anywhere close to their best. 

"Minute by minute we lost some of the ball possession," Tuchel said. "But whenever we lost the belief, we never lost the structure and the intensity to defend. 

"In football there are many ways to have a good performance and if it's necessary to suffer, you have to be ready to suffer and that's what I'm very happy about." 

Chelsea have taken seven points from their three Premier League games under former Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel, as many as they managed in their final eight top-flight fixtures under predecessor Frank Lampard. The previous Blues boss to have clean sheets in his opening three games was Mourinho, all the way back in 2004. 

Still, Tuchel sees scope for improvement: "A bit more killer instinct would have been nice because it would have been possible to decide [the game] in the first half. 

"Also, in the first 15 minutes of the second half and maybe during the whole match, there were chances where we lacked a bit of determination in the box and the last touch. 

"But it's like this - it's best if we have something to improve and we still win, and it was a big win in an away game and that is very, very good. I'm very happy." 

He spoke about his players buying into his way of playing, and how they "live it 100 per cent". 

"We never got too passive, too deep in the field," Tuchel said. "We pushed and we had many one-on-ones to isolate the opponent and not give options. 

"For that you have to be brave, and we were brave and winners in the end. It was deserved and it feels great."

Thomas Tuchel masterminded a richly deserved victory in his first London derby as dominant Chelsea beat Tottenham 1-0 to move above them in the Premier League. 

Jose Mourinho could only watch on in the driving rain at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as his former club bossed lacklustre Spurs, who slipped to a third consecutive defeat. 

Jorginho's first-half penalty made it seven points from three matches without conceding a goal for Chelsea under Tuchel, lifting them into sixth place. 

Toothless Tottenham were outclassed and fortunate not to suffer a more emphatic loss as they slipped down to eighth following another lacklustre performance. 

Timo Werner almost got Chelsea off to a dream start when he nodded a long ball from Cesar Azpilicueta just wide in the first minute. 

The Blues knocked the ball about with a swagger and deservedly took the lead 24 minutes in, Jorginho finding the bottom-right corner of Hugo Lloris' net from the spot after Eric Dier had tripped the lively Werner. 

Andreas Christensen replaced the injured Thiago Silva as Tuchel's side continued to dominate, although Serge Aurier wasted a chance to equalise late in the first half when he headed Son Heung-min's free-kick wide. 

Spurs showed more urgency after the break, pressing Chelsea higher up the pitch, albeit Callum Hudson-Odoi could have doubled the lead when he drilled wide of the far post. 

Aurier produced a brilliant last-ditch tackle to prevent Werner from ending his Premier League goal drought as the Germany striker was about to pull the trigger after being set up by Mason Mount. 

Lloris bravely punched away a dangerous cross with Christian Pulisic waiting to pounce and Mateo Kovacic poked a shot wide with Chelsea firmly in command. 

The excellent Mount was denied by a fine reflex save by Lloris as Spurs were opened up all too easily again before Edouard Mendy was finally called into action, palming away Erik Lamela's shot with just over 10 minutes to go.

Carlos Vinicius should have made Chelsea pay for their profligacy, but he headed wide from close range late in his first league start as Gareth Bale was an unused substitute for the hosts.

Thomas Tuchel might not have been bold enough to ask Callum Hudson-Odoi to play at wing-back for Chelsea had it not been his first day on the job.

England international Hudson-Odoi, often a marginal figure during Frank Lampard's tenure, has been the biggest success story of Tuchel's first week in charge at Stamford Bridge.

An energetic and creative presence operating across the full length of the right flank, he was a surprise selection for the 0-0 draw against Wolves last week and retained his place for the 2-0 win over Burnley.

Ahead of Thursday's London derby against Tottenham, Tuchel conceded he did not know he was asking Hudson-Odoi to take a plunge into the unknown.

"No, maybe it was good I didn't ask [if he had played at wing-back before] because I would have doubted my decision," he said.

"As you know, we only had one training session before the Wolves game. We were flying in on the same day with all the staff and wondering what kind of structure we can implement and give the team a good feeling to be solid defensively and also attack freely.

"To defend with four you have to be very, very disciplined and synchronised. So, we opted to defend with five but we didn't want to be too defensive, so tried Reece [James] and Callum on the right side in training and he did very good.

"All the qualities he has, the high speed and quick recoveries. He can give us a huge amount of high-speed runs and dribbles and one-on-ones.

"He took his chance in the first game, there was no need to change for the second game. Maybe in some defensive duels in the air there is some space to improve, but I'm happy."

Asking players to be flexible and change positions is one of Tuchel's calling cards, with Marquinhos' conversion from a centre-back into a dominant central midfielder at Paris Saint-Germain one of his standout innovations.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss says the team must always benefit overall in order to justify these switches, although he joked Hudson-Odoi or any other Chelsea players were unlikely to object to suggestions from a freshly installed head coach.

"Only will I do it if I see something in a player that can benefit the team. With Callum there was a big advantage - I was new, there was one day, so which player would say 'no'?" he asked.

"If we see something that can move players from a position to another, we try to convince them, but not against their will.

"We show them pictures and explain to them and, of course, we listen to their opinion on if they feel comfortable."

As Tuchel noted, Hudson-Odoi won neither of the aerial duels he contested in the Wolves and Burnley games, but he has been far more prominent in other respects.

In each game he made 10 passes into the penalty area, creating six chances overall. The assist for Cesar Azpilicueta's opener against Burnley was one of four openings crafted over the course of the 90 minutes.

Against Wolves, the 20-year-old attempted five dribbles - more than he has in any other appearance this season - and made as many recoveries in an all-action performance.

This capacity to combine moments of creative ingenuity with hard work for the cause looks like a perfect recipe to endear Hudson-Odoi to his new coach.

"I believe in a disciplined structure on the field and the respect from everybody on the pitch for his position," Tuchel added.

"It gives us the chance to play quicker, everybody knows where the other guy is in this moment. And in the moment of losing the ball, we know where we are and can start effective counter-pressing.

"There are a lot of choices to make in the blink of an eye and this has to stay with the players and stay with their qualities. Maybe Mason Mount goes with a different solution to Hakim Ziyech or Kai Havertz. This has to be the choice and the creativity of the players.

"For me it’s to have to mix of respecting your zone and your structure and the creativity of the players. We challenge them in training to give them the tools that they have to use in the games."

Thomas Tuchel insists his admiration for Mason Mount has grown since becoming Chelsea head coach.

The futures of Mount and other academy products who made the first-team breakthrough under Frank Lampard have been the source of much conjecture since Tuchel replaced Chelsea's all-time top goalscorer in the Stamford Bridge dugout.

England midfielder Mount being dropped to the bench for the former Paris Saint-Germain boss' first game in charge against Wolves last week was viewed in some quarters, perhaps prematurely, as a pivotal early moment in his reign.

However, Mount returned to play 80 minutes in the 2-0 win over Burnley at the weekend and, ahead of Thursday's London derby against Tottenham, Tuchel told reporters that he was a keen admirer of the 22-year-old.

"I absolutely agree with the potential that I see, which you mention, with Mason," he said, with injury doubts over Kai Havertz meaning Mount is likely to retain his starting place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"What I see from outside and what I know now from the inside is that the guy is 100 per cent all the time, even more that he cares a lot about Chelsea. He cares about his team-mates and leaves his heart out there on the pitch.

"If you train with Mason or play with Mason, the one thing you can be sure of is that absolutely he gives 100 per cent. This is the best level to grow from, the best situation to become a top, top, top player.

"He has everything that is needed to reach higher and higher levels. I don't know where his limits are but right now we will push him and support him.

"The most important thing is that it comes from inside of him. What makes me very happy is he's a nice guy, a totally open guy and has a very positive aura and energy in the dressing room and out on the pitch."

Tuchel's admiration for English talent is not confined to the training fields of Cobham and he acknowledged Spurs being without Harry Kane through injury will be a boost to Chelsea's hopes.

"I would say it's always easier if Harry Kane is not playing, that's absolutely no secret," he said.

"Harry Kane is one of the best number nines in the world. When he is in shape he is maybe the role model of the number nine that every coach and every team wishes for, in terms of work rate, ambition, mentality, attitude and goalscoring. For sure, he is outstanding."

Tuchel has his own highly rated striker, although Timo Werner's only goal since early November came in the FA Cup against League Two Morecambe.

"It's our responsibility to create situations and moments when he can bring out his best," he added.

"That means to attack the space behind the back of the last line of defence of opponents, to use his feet.

"This is what we try to do with every player and, from there on, the last 15 or 20 per cent will come back when he scores.

"This is my opinion with every striker in the world. You can talk, they can score in training, you can do whatever. Nothing helps as much as them scoring in important games.

"He has good memories of the stadium at Spurs, he scored a decisive goal against them for RB Leipzig [in the Champions League last season]. Sometimes things like this help also."

Thomas Tuchel may be less than a week into his role as Chelsea head coach but some clear patterns are emerging from his first two games in charge - particularly in defence.

Tuchel is the first Chelsea boss to keep a clean sheet in each of his first two Premier League games in charge since Rafael Benitez in November 2012 following a 2-0 win over Burnley on Sunday.

Having conceded 77 goals in 57 Premier League games under predecessor Frank Lampard, this represents a much-needed tightening of the rearguard at the start of Tuchel's reign.

In fact, Burnley's first attempt did not arrive until the 94th minute – their longest ever wait for their first shot in a Premier League game.

It was a similar story in Tuchel's first game when his side stifled Wolves in a 0-0 draw in midweek as their opponents failed to register a single shot on target.

Tuchel's players kept both Burnley and Wolves at arm's length by monopolising possession, boasting 71.1 per cent and 78.9 per cent respectively.

They surely face a greater challenge away from Stamford Bridge against Tottenham on Thursday, but Tuchel is content with how quickly his players appear to have taken on board his ideas.

"The performance itself, for me, was very complete, both defensively and offensively," Tuchel told a post-match media conference.

"We had to be very, very strong physically against many powerful players and with many duels in the air. We had to fight for the second ball, and you have to be very aware for all the second balls that fly back again in your back.

"But we did the work, with the three centre-backs and two sixes absolutely outstanding. The two guys on the sides did a lot of effort to support, and the front three supported the defensive work too.

"We managed to concede only one shot, which was absolutely amazing. And importantly, we never lost patience; we controlled the game, created a lot of chances and were very good in the counter-pressing.

"It is the quality of the players, the structure that we gave them and, from there, they did very well. They have the confidence to keep the ball and the intensity that we put in when we lose it.

"We have intensive runs as well. Ball possession alone means nothing but if we have the ability to control the games then why not use it?"

On many a Sunday, I realize that people have looked at the stories they've seen throughout the week with different lenses. I have my own personal take on some of these trending issues and I will share them with you. Welcome to #INCASEYOUMISSEDIT the 2021 edition with Mariah

1. Tough task ahead for Thomas Tuchel

Chelsea have given their new manager Thomas Tuchel 18 months to reverse the club’s fortunes after sacking Frank Lampard. Tuchel’s first match in charge ended in a 0-0 home draw with Wolves on Wednesday, a clear sign that the task ahead is not an easy one.  The big question looming is how can he avoid the same fate as Lampard? 

The 42-year-old German is more experienced than his predecessor having had spells at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund as well as two and a half years at PSG in France, leading them to back-to-back French league titles.

He also led the French champions to the 2019/20 Champions League final.

Winning cup competitions and making the top-four in the EPL would help him keep his job at the end of the season but going forward that will not be enough for team owner Roman Abramovich.

Notwithstanding his proven coaching acumen, Tuchel has developed somewhat of a reputation of getting into power struggles with club hierarchies. He was fired by Dortmund after falling out with officials there, similar to his exit from PSG. He would be advised to stay in Abramovich’s good books.

He would also do well to capitalize on his relationships with Thiago Silva who he coached at PSG and Christian Pulisic from Dortmund.

 The task at hand is not impossible and Tuchel seems ready to take on his latest project.

“I decided not to worry about that too much and to go to do it, to be brave enough to take this adventure. It’s my character to believe more in the chances than in the risks,” he said.

2. Windies stars continue to shine in Abu Dhabi T10

The ICC T20 World Cup set for October in India is still some time away but the excitement in the Abu Dhabi T10 has reignited the hope that West Indies just might have a chance. The first week of the Abu Dhabi T10 was filled with brilliant performances both with bat and ball from notable Windies players.

Several Windies players have found form early in the tournament. The Northern Warriors’ Lendl Simmons blasted an unbeaten 54 in his first match. Evin Lewis also started off with a bang having scored 100 runs in three matches that included a top score of 55. He was also not out twice and is the third-highest run-scorer for this 2021 edition.

Nicholas Pooran has also been brilliant with the bat. After two matches he has 73 runs with a high score of 54. The Pune Devils Kennar Lewis in his first match scored a 28-ball 57 not out to lead his team to victory.

There have also been noteworthy performances with the ball as the Northern Warriors’ Rayad Emrit is ranked fifth for most wickets in the tournament. He has bowled 4 overs for 46 runs and taken three wickets. His teammate Fabian Allen has bowled two overs for 11 runs and taken two wickets. Deccan Gladiators Sunil Narine has grabbed two wickets from his two overs.

Timo Werner is not lacking in confidence despite his Chelsea goal drought, according to head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Werner arrived at Stamford Bridge with a reputation as a prolific goalscorer following his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig

But the Germany international has scored just four times in 20 Premier League appearances, with his blank in Sunday's 2-0 win over Burnley stretching his barren run to 12 top-flight games.

The 24-year-old managed three shots on target against the Clarets – more than any other player – and had more touches inside the opposition penalty area (nine) than anyone else.

Despite another scoreless outing, Tuchel has no doubts over Werner's self-belief.

"He is totally into it, he gives everything," Tuchel explained.

"You can see, like every striker in the world, these guys are sensitive and nothing helps better than goals.

"If they miss the goals for a certain time then it isn't the same for them, it is not special to Timo, it happens with every striker in the world.

"He was confident to play but that is something you cannot demand, you either have it or you don't. But it is no problem, maybe he just needs to find an easy goal to bring out the last per cent."

Tuchel acknowledged Chelsea might have to adapt their system to the best out of Werner.

"We need to improve to bring him into situations to be decisive for us," added Tuchel.

"As long as he has the impact, works like he worked today, we will support him. We missed some chances to use him in counter-attacks which is his big strength, he has pure speed."

Goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso secured the points for Chelsea but the standout performer for the Blues was Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The winger produced more crosses (six) than any other player in an attacking display full of swagger.

Tuchel said he already knew of the 20-year-old's quality before he took over from Frank Lampard and hopes Odoi can help spark Werner and his fellow strikers into life in front of goal.

"There were big rumours around him and Bayern Munich but he was in the focus way before I ever thought about being his manager," Tuchel added.

"He had another good game, if we can improve the precision of our guys in the box then maybe we can score more goals.

"He can have his input on the line, he has the ability to be decisive with his runs, his speed and at the moment we have opted for this structure."

Thomas Tuchel registered his first Premier League win as Chelsea head coach after a 2-0 victory over Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Cesar Azpilicueta put the Blues ahead shortly before half-time with a crisp finish as Tuchel's side dominated proceedings, assuaging the frustrations of Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Wolves.

Marcos Alonso added a second late on when he spectacularly hooked the ball home after being restored to the side.

Burnley offered little threat at the other end, with Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy spared any attempt at his goal until deep into stoppage time.

Chelsea showed the early initiative as they directed much of their attacking play through the lively Hudson-Odoi.

Mason Mount lifted a shot over the crossbar as Chelsea registered five attempts in the first 15 minutes but without really testing Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Timo Werner got his feet into a tangle when the ball dropped for him in the box on the half-hour mark, while Marcos Alonso should have done better with a header from a promising position.

Chelsea's persistence was rewarded five minutes before half-time as Azpilicueta burst forward from defence to receive a pass on the overlap from Hudson-Odoi and strike an angled shot high into the net.

It was Azpilicueta's first goal in the Premier League since scoring against Arsenal in January 2020.

Tuchel replaced Tammy Abraham with Christian Pulisic at half-time as he moved Werner into a central position, but it was Hudson-Odoi who was the main threat.

The 20-year-old winger hit the post with a deflected shot and then shortly afterwards teased a low cross into the six-yard box which Pope kept out after James Tarkowski almost turned the ball into his own net.

Hudson-Odoi skimmed Erik Pieters again with 20 minutes left but Pulisic swept the ball wide from a good position, while Pope saved well from Reece James' low shot.

Alonso wrapped up the points six minutes from time when he controlled Pulisic's cross and acrobatically whipped the ball past Pope, with Burnley's only effort coming from Tarkowski's last-gasp header over the top.

Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel believes the Premier League is the perfect place for Kai Havertz to realise his "almost endless" potential.

Havertz, 21, is yet to hit top form for Chelsea after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported initial fee of £62million in September.

The Germany international starred in the previous two Bundesliga seasons, scoring 29 goals and providing nine assists in 64 games.

Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard at the helm of Chelsea earlier this month, praised Havertz for making the move to the Premier League – and he said the playmaker had immense talent.

"His potential is endless, almost endless. It is a challenge for him, and I think he made a very brave choice, you have to understand,” he said.

"I am a huge fan of Bayer Leverkusen in terms of how they have developed as a club over years and years and what players they developed and what quality of football they play.

"But you come from Leverkusen to Chelsea, the culture cannot be any more different. A club where it is OK to maybe be second or third best, to reach the top four and repeat for this on a very high level. Then you go to a club where they talk about trophies and winning titles, it is so open, there is a certain atmosphere like at Bayern Munich they do this every year, they demand titles, titles and more titles and it does something to a club in the atmosphere.

"So that means that Kai has stopped not just to a different country, not only to a different club, not only different team-mates, itself it's already complicated, he even changes his culture and club environment in a dramatic way.

"And I love it because he is so far out of his comfort zone."

In 17 Premier League games this season, Havertz has one goal and two assists for 10th-placed Chelsea.

But Tuchel, whose side host Burnley on Sunday, believes the midfielder is in the perfect league to realise his potential.

"He seems to be like the guy who needs to be pushed and we will not stop doing it," he said.

"For him, this league is perfect because he cannot rest and he has so much potential that he needs to be challenged physically also, that it is not enough that he can rely on his endless talent."

Thomas Tuchel is determined to help struggling forward Timo Werner "rebuild his trust in himself" after a disappointing start to his Chelsea career.

Werner arrived at Stamford Bridge with big expectations following his move from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, but failed to show what he is capable of under former Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard.

Germany international Werner has scored nine goals in 28 games for Chelsea, with just four of those coming in the Premier League.

Werner has not found the back of the net since November in the top flight and was an unused substitute in new coach Tuchel's first game in charge against Wolves on Wednesday following Lampard's sacking.

The 24-year-old missed a penalty with his only shot on target in an FA Cup victory over Championship side Luton Town last weekend, which proved to be Lampard's final game in charge.

Tuchel did not turn to his compatriot in the goalless midweek draw with Wolves, but is optimistic he can get the best out of him.

He said: "At the moment, why I did not use him on Wednesday, I see his face is a bit closed and the weight is on his shoulders.

"He cares a lot and that shows he has a fantastic character. Sometimes as a striker it does not help if you care a lot.  Sometimes as a striker, it's better to not care at all. But he's not that guy. He cares and he's not happy with himself and with the way things went lately.

"Right now, it's important to rebuild his trust in himself and to find a smile on his face and stop doubting too much. It's my job to do this, to help him with this and then to find also a position where we can use his strengths."

Former Paris Saint-Germain boss Tuchel has a clear picture of how Werner should be utilised in the Blues' line-up ahead of a Premier League encounter with Burnley on Sunday.

"From his profile, as a given, I would say he prefers to have space," Tuchel said. "That’s clear because he’s super-fast and he likes to play in the last line [of defence], very, very, very high up, but a little bit more to the left, half open to the goal and to receive the balls into the open space. This is a given.

"Can we develop movements, patterns, behaviour to use his quality in narrow spaces? That’s my job and I'm absolutely convinced we can because the guy is open, the guy is friendly and the guy is eager to learn."

Thomas Tuchel has confirmed he was a Tottenham fan as a boy but insists he now only has eyes for Chelsea. 

The new Blues head coach had his formal presentation on Thursday, after taking over from the sacked Frank Lampard. 

Tuchel was brought up in the Bavarian town of Krumbach in the 1970s and 1980s, when sport on television was scarcely seen, and he puts it down to youthful naivety that he happened to support Tottenham. 

The ages-old enmity between Tottenham and Chelsea means Tuchel cannot afford to have split loyalties now, and he insists his days of idolising Spurs stars have long gone. 

"When I was young there was no daily match live on TV and no daily live match from the Bundesliga," said Tuchel. "What I could actually see was one or two minutes every four weeks and suddenly a club like Tottenham Hotspur came across on our sports broadcaster once every four weeks. 

"Suddenly I heard the name Tottenham Hotspur, which sounded like a big adventure and gave me a big advantage playing with my friends, because they had no idea where that club was." 

Tuchel joked: "I was young, I needed the money! 

"No, I was young but that was one of my first experiences. I didn't even know it was a club from London. 

"But now I'm absolutely aware I work for their big rivals and we'll do everything we can to beat them next week."

The trip to Tottenham on February 4 will be a major early test for Tuchel as he goes up against former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. 

Tuchel has plenty of Premier League knowledge and has an ongoing friendship with Pep Guardiola, boss of leaders Manchester City. 

"Absolutely, I spoke with Pep a lot since he's worked here," Tuchel said. 

He believes competing against such elite coaches and teams will "bring the best out of me" and had a smile when Chelsea's turnover of managers was mentioned. 

Tuchel knows he must succeed and keep succeeding to stay in his post, saying: "In the end at Chelsea, it is about results. 

"I'm very realistic that I'm in a club whose DNA it is to win and go for trophies, and I'm here to challenge for every trophy we play for." 

During his time at Paris Saint-Germain, whom he guided to successive Ligue 1 titles and last year's Champions League final, Tuchel became accustomed to demands for his team to keep winning. 

He was ousted from his job in December after PSG lost four matches in their domestic league before Christmas, yet across his time with the French giants his team scored at a rate of one goal every 33.7 minutes of Ligue 1 action. 

Chelsea began this season at an impressive clip by scoring 29 times in their first 14 Premier League games under Lampard, but the goals have dried up since, with only four coming in their subsequent six matches in the competition. 

They have not scored more than once in that run and it was a seven-game streak from October to December in 2015 when they last experienced a longer spell without getting two or more goals in a league fixture. 

On Sunday, Chelsea face an in-form Burnley, with Tuchel looking to make up for the false start of the goalless draw with Wolves on Wednesday. 

He said it was "not realistic" to target the Premier League title in his first season, with Chelsea already 11 points behind a Manchester City side who also have a game in hand.

"Realistically this year it's the Champions League and the FA Cup," Tuchel said.

Frank Lampard has wished Thomas Tuchel the best of luck after the German replaced him as head coach of Chelsea. 

The turnover of bosses at Stamford Bridge during Roman Abramovich's reign as owner continued this week as Lampard was sacked on Monday. 

Tuchel stepped into the breach as the former Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund coach was installed a day later. 

Speaking in a news conference on Thursday, Tuchel explained his admiration for Chelsea great Lampard, and said he was pleased to have already heard from the club's record goalscorer. 

"I can absolutely assume it's a big, big disappointment for the fanbase to see that Frank was sacked," Tuchel said. 

"I have the biggest respect. I was a huge fan of Frank as a player - it was pure joy to watch him play. 

"He was one of the key figures to demonstrate in 90 minutes what Chelsea are about, about intensity, about devotion and about winning mentality. 

"I have the biggest respect for him personally and for his legacy. 

"It just got bigger when I received a message today in the morning, a personal message to wish me all the best and to maybe meet in the future when this is possible. 

"In the last 72 hours the club made clear to me this is not my fault, clearly not my fault, and I cannot change the situation for him. 

"The decision was made and I was handed the opportunity."

Tuchel was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in December and walks into a different type of challenge at Chelsea, who sit in mid-table in the Premier League. 

He won 62 of 82 Ligue 1 games with PSG for a win record a fraction above 75 per cent, but Tuchel began his Chelsea stint with a goalless draw at home against Wolves. 

Lampard briefly led Chelsea to the top of the league earlier this season but they currently sit eighth. 

Tuchel selected a highly experienced starting XI against Wolves but vowed on Thursday that would not reflect his policy at Chelsea, insisting the likes of young midfielder Mason Mount would be firmly in his plans. 

"It was a totally unfair line-up," Tuchel said, explaining he was unsure how the change of boss would have "affected the young players". 

"If you know my reputation in my last clubs, I'll push every youngster to be ready. 

"I've zero doubts we have 20, 21 players who are absolutely ready to play for Chelsea in the Premier League and win games for us. 

"Nobody should read too much into this."