That is because Pep Guardiola’s side won 7-0 on Tuesday against a Leeds side which had only just lost at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but Thomas Tuchel explains we always knew there would be difficult moments in mounting a genuine title race and the squad are determined to overcome them, beginning with letting in less goals.‘Not long ago it was the opposite position and Man City turned things around,’ he says as he surveys the league positions.‘At the moment they have good form and they show their quality. There was never a doubt they have the quality. For years they show this consistency and know what it takes to be in the title race, with Liverpool. Both teams have no injury issues at the moment and this helps a lot but we knew before that if we demand from ourselves to compete with City and Liverpool for the title that we will face adversity, and we will face tough moments.

‘This was clear before so we cannot be surprised now and we cannot give in.

‘We were lucky last weekend. We did not feel so blessed with luck when we played at West Ham and went out with a defeat. We absolutely did not have the luck on our side when we played a draw against Burnley, so we should not say sorry for a late victory.

‘We found a way to win this game against Leeds and the next game is in front of us against Everton. We play at home and we do what is needed to have the possibility to win three points.’

That possibility will be greatly enhanced if the team are able to keep a first clean sheet in six matches but it is not so much the recent lack of shut-outs, more the multiple goals let in during the last three matches, versus the Hammers, Zenit and Leeds, that is concerning Tuchel.‘To keep clean sheets when you play these kinds of competitions you need also luck, you need an extraordinary goalkeeper, you need a certain momentum, and this is what we had in the beginning of the season,’ he says.‘One goal is always possible even if you do everything right but three, three and two is a bit too much to be honest.

‘But we're on it. It makes you appreciate how hard we worked before, what it takes to be so consistent in not conceding and we want to get back on track. Maybe it shows us how much details matter, how much individual top level in every situation matters.‘Hopefully we get this consistency in not conceding back into our game. This is crucial if you want to win consecutive football matches on this level.’