Chelsea: The ‘big difference’ separating Blues from title rivals revealed

The Blues dropped valuable points at home to Everton after losing several key players.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has suggested his side’s growing list of unavailable players leaves them at a disadvantage compared to title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool.

For the fourth time in seven games, Chelsea dropped valuable points in a 1-1 draw with Everton on Monday. Mason Mount put the Blues in front in the 70th-minute in London. However, just four minutes later, 19-year-old defender Jarrad Branthwaite leveled the scoreline for the visitors.

The stalemate came shortly after Chelsea announced that Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Ben Chilwell all tested positive for COVID-19.

Kai Havertz, meanwhile, missed the Everton match due to illness, while Mateo Kovacic is still isolating with COVID-19. It meant Tuchel had just eight substitutes available from a possible nine.

"We put in a huge effort for one goal and the opponent puts in a minimal effort for the same amount of goals!"

Thomas Tuchel felt his covid hit Chelsea side should have had enough to put away Everton away. #beINPL #CHEEVE

Watch Now – https://t.co/h30zpzHAeg pic.twitter.com/K3i5aR9e0i

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) December 16, 2021

“The big difference is that City and Liverpool have no injured players,” the ex-PSG and Dortmund boss told beINSPORTS.

“We have like six or seven players out, this can happen and you need the whole squad to be competitive and if not we struggle.

“It’s not a problem, but we have to accept it. Totally unnecessary today, but it happens to us in the moment.”

As a result of their 1-1 draw on Monday, Chelsea have slipped down to third in the Premier League table. They lie three points behind second-place Liverpool and a further point adrift of leaders City.

The European champions are currently scheduled to next face Wolves on Sunday.