Temperatures in London are expected to peak tomorrow, but by kick-off against Tottenham it is still forecast to be 35 degrees, the hottest it will have been for a Chelsea game in England for a very long time, indeed possibly ever.

At his press conference at Cobham this lunchtime, Tuchel explained what effect the heat has had on the build-up to our first home game of the season.

‘We adapted our training session times to early mornings,’ said the boss.

‘We have some patterns implemented already to cool the body temperature down to improve the situation as much as possible, but it will be very hot and very demanding physically.

‘We see clearly from the data the same training exercise in different conditions has very different output, and a very different effect on how you feel.

‘It is also a matter of how much you want it, because it will feel very difficult. It’s a question of who has the ability to play through the pain.

‘I’m not at the stage the weather forecast influences my starting XI, but we accept this kind of heat has a physical effect on the players. In a stadium it can feel even worse, so it will be quite challenging.’

Twenty-four hours earlier it was Raheem Sterling who was sitting in the media room hotseat at Cobham, the England forward explaining he was most commonly a winger but very happy to play more centrally if it helped the team. Today, Tuchel was asked what he saw as Sterling’s best position.

‘He should play in the last line, or between the defensive lines, to drive towards the last line or run through it,’ answered the German.

‘He was very good in training in this free role as a number nine and dropping into half-spaces. He has so much quality, there are many places to use him. He can play across from the wing, he was very dangerous in the number nine position with an offside goal and a big chance [at Everton], more of a free role.

‘Things are not finished, he came late to pre-season, but one thing is clear: the impact he has physically and mentally, and in terms of quality, is huge, no matter where he plays.’

Our opponents on Sunday have plenty of speed themselves. Under Antonio Conte they have scored the most goals in the league in 2022, spearheaded by the counter-attacking threat of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Tuchel explained how his side can stop that danger again, having beaten Spurs four times in 2021/22, without conceding.

‘We have to be very disciplined in certain regions of the game. They stepped a level up, they are playing the same structure but they have a pattern in their offensive pressing and defensive attitude. This changes a lot.

‘It’s very important we’re good on the ball, the dominant team, and put the game into the opponents’ halves, and from there control the counter-attacks before everyone else sees it.

‘They are one of the very best teams, maybe in the world, at counter-attacks. We did a fantastic job in closing it down [last season]. The players were unbelievably disciplined and aware.

‘We can never lose our structure and our head while we are attacking. This is the moment to stop the counter-attack. If they start, you’re in big trouble, so we need to be smart and stop the counter-attacks before they start.’