Chelsea might have been unable to put an end to their nine-year winless run at Old Trafford against Manchester United on Thursday evening, but Thomas Tuchel's side left viewers in little doubt of which team is higher in the league. The draw left the Blues guaranteed to finish higher than Ralf Rangnick's team, who currently sit in sixth place with their Champions League qualification ambitions hanging by a thread.
The interim United boss conceded his side were fortunate to come away with a point, while Tuchel is sure to be frustrated that Kai Havertz was unable to put the finishing touches to a much improved Chelsea performance. The German coach remains adamant his side must actively earn their spot in the Champions League, and Thursday's display will have reassured him his side are still ready to fight this season.
However, with just a single win required, Chelsea's place in Europe's premier competition is all but assured, and the Blues will find themselves finishing third, as has now been expected for a large portion of the season. When asked if finishing chances has proved the missing link to catching Manchester City and Liverpool, Tuchel reflected that the answer lies elsewhere.
