Three wins from 10 Premier League games proved terminal for Frank Lampard at Chelsea this time last year, and the run Thomas Tuchel is enduring is little better.
Tuchel’s team have also won just three in 10. They have 14 points to Lampard’s 11, although that hasn’t been enough to stop Manchester City disappearing out of sight and concern will deepen if they fail to beat Antonio Conte’s Tottenham tomorrow.
Chelsea will not play again in the league for nearly a month, and owner Roman Abramovich must be acutely aware they could be engulfed by the chasing pack when they return from the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.