He does not get much wrong, the German, but he did that - his side are the ones they have to catch this season.ДЇor while their rivals stumbled yesterday, the Blues ran three points clear at the top of the table. To think, Tuchel declared this week that Liverpool and Manchester City were the division's standard-bearers. Will that change with a new manager? They have to try, and the notion of leaving an appointment until during or after the forthcoming international break is as risky as some of their team's passing.Д¬helsea, by comparison, are mightily impressive and they refused to panic despite an hour of frustration - come the end they made their newly-gilded opponents look like paupers, brutally exposing the gulf in class that exists. What little confidence those players have is eroded at the first sign of setback, much like here when James blasted his first on 65 minutes. But he is working with damaged goods, a legacy of both Steve Bruce's management and Mike Ashley's meagre investment. Newcastle's caretaker, in fairness, has attempted to address that end of the park during his 10 days in charge. Within one training session he had cured many of Chelsea's defensive ills.

Just look at the impact Tuchel had when replacing Frank Lampard last season. Jones accepts that a 'fresh face' is needed in the dugout, and quick. Can you see them winning any of them, after going 10 without victory to date? Norwich at home, perhaps, for expectation in these parts is as low as the team's league position.

What is another unavoidable mathematical truth is that Newcastle will have played another 10 matches by the time January comes around.

Blues scores