The 2022/23 fixture schedule looks a little different than usual, due to adjustments made to accommodate the first-ever winter World Cup, which is fast approaching.

One of the consequences of that reshuffle is the later-than-usual start to our Carabao Cup campaign, which begins in the third round when we travel north to take on Manchester City this evening.

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• Pat Nevin looks at the potential benefits of our World Cup break

Edouard Mendy is in no doubt about the difficult task we will face at the Etihad Stadium, though, against a team which has won every home game so far this season, and possesses the Premier League’s top scorer in Erling Haaland, who has 23 goals to his name in 17 appearances in all competitions in 2022/23.

‘It’s a tough game to play, against a strong team,’ said our goalkeeper. ‘I think actually Man City is the best team in Europe.

‘They’ve been playing well for many years and they have in their team someone like Haaland, so they are very strong.’

However, for the Senegal international, the chance to compete against the best in big matches like this is exactly the reason he came to Chelsea.

Although we go into this match off the back of a narrow 1-0 loss to top-of-the-table Arsenal, we have only suffered two defeats since Graham Potter took over as head coach at the start of September and are still undefeated in midweek fixtures during that period, thanks largely to our run of four consecutive victories in the Champions League.

That leaves Mendy looking forward to tonight’s match and the chance to book our place in the fourth round, as our season under Potter adds a third competition.

‘For us it’s a good challenge because we have had some good results recently. So we just need to keep going, keep working and keep improving.

‘And yes, when you play at Chelsea, you play here for this kind of game. So we are playing one game at a time, after Arsenal we moved on and then we think about Man City.’

We are now into the last week of domestic action before club football takes a pause for the upcoming World Cup. Following our visit to Man City, we travel to Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, but Chelsea then will not play again until at least 20 December, when the fourth round of the Carabao Cup begins, should we progress tonight, before the Premier League resumes after Christmas.

With that long break fast approaching, Mendy is eager to make the most of this week by securing a pair of positive results to build some momentum and send supporters and players away on a high.

‘We have to get the momentum, even if we have been unlucky in terms of injuries,’ added the 30-year-old.

‘So we just need to keep trying to build that momentum with good results and try to finish this part of the season well so everyone goes into the break feeling good.’