Chelsea 'need to understand' demands of competing in Premier League, says Mauricio Pochettino after win over Man Utd

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino admitted his players still "need to understand" the demands of competing in the Premier League.

Pochettino made his comments after Chelsea’s dramatic 4-3 victory against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts had led 2-0 by the 19th minute, but capitulated thereafter to see United turn things around to take a 3-2 lead.

Cole Palmer came to the rescue for Chelsea, scoring two stoppage-time goals to secure an astonishing victory.

United had still been leading with 99 minutes and 17 seconds on the clock, setting a new Premier League record for the latest a team has led in a match they went on to lose.

Pochettino had called out his players for falling into a "comfort zone" ahead of the match, having been held to a 2-2 draw against Burnley last weekend.

He justified his comments after the win against United, explaining that he had told the players the same thing at the training ground.

"We have a very young squad," he told TNT Sports. "Some players have experience but only few, the rest is so young.

"They need to understand also that we cannot compete in the way that we compete against Burnley. It’s so disrespectful for us first, and then for the opponent. We are in a club where the demand is so high and they need to understand that.

"We need to always try to do more. We lose two points against Burnley, disappointing for us but it's really upset me because these guys, they need to realise what it means to compete in the Premier League and for big things."

Palmer was the standout player for Chelsea, with his two stoppage-time goals rounding off a crucial hat-trick against United.

The 21-year-old has been described as a "wonderful talent" by TNT Sports expert Rio Ferdinand, with Pochettino doubling down on the praise.

"The first conversation that we had in August – it was the connection. When we met for the first time in the training ground in my office. That was the connection that you need for the player to trust in you and for you to give the facility to play.

"I think he deserves massive credit, because he arrived from Manchester City to Chelsea very late in the transfer window, and he’s shown his character.

"His character is the most important thing. We can talk about talent, we can talk about everything, but when he arrived he was like, 'what do I have to do, because I want to play every single game and I want to perform, I want to help the team to win games.'

"For me, his mentality, his capacity to deal with the pressure, is amazing. He still can improve, but I think it's amazing the way that he adapted here."

Chelsea, who are currently 10th in the Premier League table, continue their season against Sheffield United on Sunday.

- - -

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.