Tuchel claims Chelsea can't compete for title as Man City move eight points clear

Tuchel's side were stunned by Brighton at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night as a last-gasp Danny Welbeck header earned a 1-1 draw for the visitors.

Meanwhile across London, Pep Guardiola's Manchester City put in a far from vintage performance, but did not drop points as they beat Brentford 1-0.

City are now eight points clear of second-placed Chelsea with both sides having played 20 matches.

The result vs Brighton was not the only blow for Chelsea, as they suffered two first-half injuries which forced defensive substitutions.

Tuchel had already been managing a COVID/injury crisis in recent weeks with multiple midfielders and attackers missing, but now Reece James and Andreas Christensen join Ben Chilwell as defenders on the sidelines..

In the immediate aftermath, Tuchel told talkSPORT's Alex Crook: "We struggled, we struggle at the moment, that was clear before.

"Brighton is a strong team, they arrived well prepared, they played maybe less games than us and they seemed sharper and more physical.

"We have honestly way too [many] players of whom we don't know what we can demand because of COVID and injuries. This is how it looks."

Asked if the Blues can still compete for the title in his press conference, Tuchel replied: "How should we be in it? We have seven Covid cases. We have five or six players out for six or more weeks. How should we compete in a title race?

"Everyone else who has a full squad, everybody in training has the full power to come through this league.

"We would be stupid to think we can do it out of Covid and injuries and just play, and everybody would be stupid to do it without 23 fit players."

When questioned if the Premier League's integrity has been lost through the differing Covid profiles of each team, Tuchel continued: "This is the reality, this is where we are and we have to adapt to the demands of the situation which you are in.

"I competed very hard for the win at Brighton at home. I don't know what I can expect from my players in terms of physicality, intensity or minutes. Nobody knows any more because we have never done something like this. We play trial and error and see what we can do.

"I will protect my team. We can play better but we need the full squad over weeks and weeks. It's a hamstring injury for Reece James which is a huge blow, and a back injury for Andreas Christensen."

On the injuries, Tuchel added: "It was a hamstring injury [for James] and a back injury for Christensen.

"Of course it's two players out of the defence in the middle of the match, in the first half. It's horrible."

The Blues were arguably the beneficiaries of a controversial refereeing decision in the first half when Antonio Rudiger could have seen red, but the home fans had reason to feel hard done by at full-time.

Christian Pulisic had a penalty appeal controversially waved away and no clarity came from VAR.

Next, moments before the Brighton equaliser, Mason Mount dispossessed a defender and tapped into an empty net, only for referee Mike Dean to blow for a foul.

"Very interesting, no? That they blow the whistle before it's over the line," Tuchel reacted.

"And then they have [no] chance to review. I felt this tendency today from the ref, I really have to say.

"We have a 100 per cent penalty against Christian Pulisic - VAR does not check it. It's 100 per cent foul.

"We have a 50/50 situation [with Mount], we do not wait [to see] what's the outcome of it and then check it, no, we whistle before it's over the line.

"I felt the tendency. I told them, but they will never admit it of course."

Finally, Tuchel was asked how difficult it will be to make up the eight-point gap to Man City and bluntly replied: "I don't care about it today."