Goals from Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz gave the Blues a 3-1 win over the bottom club, who having been decidedly second best in the first half, made life more difficult for the visitors to Carrow Road in the second. It took until the 90th minute for Havertz’s strike to make the points properly safe.‘We had a fantastic first half,’ began Tuchel as he looked back on the game.‘We were 2-0 up but we played a little bit the second half as if we were 3-0 or 4-0 and it was already decided, and it's never decided, first of all in Premier League, and never when 2-0.

‘In the second half we were kind of in control but the opponent was stronger, they were changing. They had nothing to lose anymore. They took more risks and we struggled a bit to adapt and suddenly we conceded. It reminded everybody it's never over.‘We have to take care of this better, and that is why there was relief in the end.’

Good character

With the game shoehorned into this midweek due to our progress in the FA Cup, the matches continued to come thick and fast, which is of benefit at the moment with the news and situation regarding the club ownership.‘It helps sometimes to have a quick schedule to arrive at match days,’ Tuchel explained.‘This is a rhythm that everybody's used to and it gives you a structure to feel safe. There's lunch together, you get a little break, then you have your pre-match meal and tactical meeting and so it helps to be in that mode, I guess.‘Of course there was a lot of distraction, another level of distraction with the sanctions, and we could feel that. The players talk about it but I think the rhythm and the excitement and the love for the game in general helps us, and we demanded ourselves to work hard, to sweat it out, and to work together.

‘The team shows very good character and we can be proud that they produce kind of performances like this under the circumstances. It tells us we are right to trust them. The attitude is right and the culture at the club is right.‘I'm happy that they could show again that they love to work hard and are able to produce another win away.’

Sickness strikes

Tuchel ended by updating on Christian Pulisic’s absence due to illness and why he took Cesar Azpilicueta off at half-time.

‘Pulisic had two bad nights, felt sick and had a change of body temperature - he felt hot, then cold, then hot, then cold. He did not feel good this morning and we decided to leave him at home and hopefully get rest and good sleep and get back soon.‘So that was a last-minute change in the squad and at half-time it was the same for Azpi as he did not feel well. He had stomach problems and looked very pale so we decided to take him out.’