Thibaut Courtois admits it is now a simple equation for Chelsea .
Beat Manchester United on Sunday and stay in the title race. Lose at Stamford Bridge to his former boss Jose Mourinho and kiss it goodbye.
Credit to the big Belgian keeper . His saves from Stephan El Sharaawy and substitute Kostas Manolas stopped that nightmare Roman conquest on Tuesday night from turning into an annihilation.
Now he will be hoping for more protection at the weekend when Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial roll into town. Chelsea’s chances of catching the Manchester clubs depends on it.
“City are nine points ahead of us, United four, Tottenham just one.” he said. “So if you want,this game is a must-win game to remain at the top and remain close to the other teams.
“We will try to get the three points at home and we will give our lives for it on Sunday.”
Courtois stood up to be counted after the Rome disappointment, addressing head on the questions as to what has gone so badly wrong for the Premier League champions.
Courtois believes injuries and an increased workload are catching up with the the players that cruised to Premier League success last season.
N’Golo Kante has been out for three weeks, Victor Moses remains on the sidelines. Danny Drinkwater, signed from Leicester in August, was injured until last month. Eden Hazard had ankle surgery during the summer.
Alvaro Morata and Pedro have also had setbacks during the first two months of the campaign. Gary Cahill has been suspended. Bakayoko is still adapting to the Premier League. So too Antonio Rudiger.
Antonio Conte decided against risking Kante – despite the dynamism and protection he gives to the Chelsea defence – with United such a crucial contest on Sunday.
Courtois remains convinced that the approach from Conte is the right one for the long term.
“N’Golo Kante was important for us and brings a lot of balance into the team.” he said. “But you cannot push him if he does not feel ready.
“Danny Drinkwater was out a long time as well so Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko played a lot of games and that impacts on their legs.
“So it’s harder for them to keep up the pressure, especially against the three midfielders as Roma played with.”
The question was still – legitimately – raised during Tuesday’s post-mortem as to why Nemanja Matic was sold, to United in particular.
But Courtois suggested the Serbian midfielder had had his heart set on a reunion with Mourinho anyway.
Matic may have been just what Chelsea cried out for at the heart of their midfield in Rome. Yet in the wider context he is understood to have preferred a first-team role at Old Trafford instead of third choice – behind Bakayoko and Kante – at the Bridge.
Courtois went on: “If a player nowadays wants to go to a team, then he has – I don’t want to say the power – but if he has a strong will to leave and join another team then it is hard for the club.
“You cannot just ignore him and say ‘you cannot leave’ because then you have a disappointed player who won’t play at his best.
“So obviously for us you give a player to another big team, but they are choices that are made in football and we have some quality midfielders.
“So I hope we can show on Sunday that we are better.”
