Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has said meetings he held with his players after their draw at home to 10-man Burnley will help them find the “right mentality” when they visit Sheffield United on Sunday.
The Blades are the only team below Burnley in the Premier League and will be hoping to spring another surprise on Chelsea, who beat Manchester United 4-3 at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to enhance their hopes of qualifying for European football.
“We already know that when we play against teams like Sheffield United, Burnley or Nottingham Forest – the teams that are battling relegation – we need to match their energy, desire and hunger,” said Pochettino, viewing the game as a yardstick of the improvement he beleves Chelsea have made.
“We need to think about recovering and approaching the game in Sheffield with the right mentality, because it’s going to be tough.
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“If we are clever and smart, we are going to use the experience to improve. We have to be consistent and perform.
“Then win or lose, that is football. But if you’re at the right level and prepare yourself to compete, we have the capacity and quality to be close to winning.”
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Cole Palmer’s hat-trick against United, including goals in the 110th and 111th minutes of the extraordinary turnaround from 3-2 behind, followed the England midfielder’s opener against Burnley after Lorenz Assignon’s dismissal for their opponents.
Burnley equalised for the first time two minutes after the break and drew level again through Dara O’Shea three minutes after Palmer had restored the hosts’ advantage.
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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 5, 2024
“The effect of the meetings after Burnley should help us be in the right place now,” predicted Pochettino.
“We will be thinking it is going to be really tough. We need to respect Sheffield, respect ourselves and match them in their energy. That is up to us.
“In a few days, we played one game where we showed such low energy. In another, we started the game in the way that we need to start every game.”
Pochettino says Chelsea “need to see” whether full-back Ben Chilwell will recover from injury in time to return to training on Friday and be available for selection.
