Chelsea put Thomas Tuchel target at risk as Man City and Liverpool highlight growing concern

Thomas Tuchel made no secret of his target for the 2021/22 Premier League season. It wasn't winning the title, nor finishing inside the top four. What the German wanted – and to an extent expected – from his improving Chelsea side was to hunt down Manchester City.

"We have to accept there is a gap between us," the German stated a little over a year ago. "We have to accept this. And it’s important we accept this without making ourselves too small. So from day one of next season, we will hunt them. We will try to close the gap between us. This is the benchmark."

Since Chelsea's last Premier League title, which came at the end of the 2016/17 campaign under Antonio Conte, they've finished well off the eventual champions. The Blues' disappointing title defence ended with them 30 points behind Manchester City. The gap the following campaign was 26 points. And when Liverpool were crowned champions under Jurgen Klopp in 2019/20, Chelsea were a whopping 33 points back.

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There was an improvement during the previous campaign, which was largely played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Chelsea, who started the season under Lampard and ended it with Tuchel at the helm, finished fourth and sat 19 points behind City, who again clinched the title under Pep Guardiola.

“If you read these numbers out loud, as you did, then it seems not realistic,” Tuchel admitted during his second month at the helm at Stamford Bridge. "But we should also not limit our thoughts. We should at least try and not prepare for excuses or whatever. It’s a small line between arguments, which I totally see, and realistic arguments.

"The amount of