Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has accepted that his side have not been at their best in their last two matches but is pleased to have come through both fixtures with victories.
The Blues found it difficult for long spells of their last Premier League clash against Aston Villa on September 11 but still recorded a 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, the capital output ran out 1-0 winners over Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League on Tuesday night despite failing to find their best form.
Tuchel has insisted that his team are still some way from their top level, but the German is delighted to have picked up six points from two difficult fixtures.
"I didn't expect us to be at our top level early in September, especially after this pre-season and Covid. For me at the moment, it is more important that we are competitive, we play relentless and have belief to overcome difficult minutes and periods within games," Tuchel told reporters.
"Aston Villa played at their top level, this is what we have to accept and respect. Competition is high. It is a good thing that we are able to win."
Chelsea will be looking to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they travel to North London on Sunday afternoon to take on Tottenham Hotspur.
Matt Law
