Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has admitted his players 'know what's coming' as they prepare to face Liverpool in the FA Cup final this weekend.
The two sides will go head-to-head on Saturday afternoon in a showpiece fixture at Wembley for the second time this season, having already shaped up against each other in the Carabao Cup final at the end of February.
It was Liverpool who came out on top on this occasion courtesy of Kepa Arrizabalaga's missed penalty, though there was little to separate the sides during the contest as a whole. That has also been the case in the two league matches involving the teams in the Premier League this term, which both ended as draws.
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Such meetings have provided Tuchel with a clear understanding of the threats Jurgen Klopp's side will pose on Saturday, with the German fully aware his players must carry out their jobs to the 'highest level' possible in the capital.
"This is a huge match in every sense. It’s a huge game because it’s the Emirates FA Cup final at Wembley and, these days, if you play in the final against either Liverpool or Manchester City, it cannot be bigger. Now we are in the final, against one of the best opponents we could possibly face, and we are incredibly excited to get out there and play on this fantastic stage," said the Chelsea boss in his FA Cup final programme notes.
"When you play against Liverpool, you know what’s coming – they will come at you at full speed, with high intensity and the highest quality, both on the ball and off the ball. So this is it, this is what we have to expect.
"We can reflect on good games against them this season. The League Cup final at Wembley was a fantastic game for both teams and we needed 22 penalties to find a winner. The home match against them in the league was a great match, when we came back to draw 2-2, and the 1-1 draw earlier in the season, at Anfield, was also a brilliant game.
"So there is a record of very, very close games between these two sides and that should give us courage and also give us a clear picture of what is needed, physically, mentally, in every sense, to win today. To say it out loud – we need everything to be at its highest level."
