GIVE US A REAL TEST AND NOT A BOREFEST

Tuchel wants the title race to be a real thriller with the more teams challenging the merrier

THOMAS TUCHEL hopes the Premier League title race does not turn out to be a big bore.

The Chelsea boss says the more teams challenging the better as his leaders face Newcastle today.

The top three in the Premier League at the moment – Tuchel’s Blues

(in training, right and below), Liverpool and Manchester

City – look like they are beginning to pull away from the pack.

But the German wants more sides to get involved, unlike in France where his old club Paris SaintGermain already lie seven points clear of their nearest rivals.

And he says the last thing anyone wants is the battle to turn out like the most boring F1 race, where one car hits the front at the first corner and never gets overtaken.

Tuchel said: “I want to be in this race. It’s a pleasure and I’m absolutely excited about it.

“People should be, as football fans. The more teams join, the better it is.

“We don’t want to watch car races when you know from the start who wins. You want to have challengers.

“The challenge is why I took the chance to be part of this club and manage in this league. It’s a huge challenge. There’s big excitement.

“But it takes a lot of courage and effort to stay in this position and to try for it. The two other teams, Liverpool and City, have pushed the limits far over the last few years.

“We are closing the gap – but there is still a long way to go. It is not enough to prove it for nine games. It is like running a marathon.”

Tuchel faces a mini injury crisis with strikers Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner out for another three weeks and midfielder Mateo Kovacic sidelined for at least as long with a hamstring problem.

Tuchel admitted his squad will be stretched with Kovacic’s injury but he will have N’Golo Kante and Ruben LoftusCheek back today.

He added: “I’m happy with the guys on the pitch. It is a stretch. But we are a strong group.”