Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he expects a difficult game when Chelsea take on Manchester City on Sunday.

The reigning Premier League champions returned to the top of the table earlier this week, following Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.

Sunday’s clash is one that Pochettino’s side have failed to win in the club’s last six attempts, and with City having won their last five matches across all competitions, the Argentine is aware of the task ahead.

“Of course it’s going to be a challenge,” said the Chelsea head coach.

“We need to compete and even then we know it is going to be tough, but we are going to go and try to compete our best. What we want is to win the three points, that’s what is important for us.

“They dominate English football because they deserve to. It’s the reality, we cannot say otherwise. They are on the top and they are the team that you want to beat and challenge because they are showing great quality. All the other teams try to compete with them but they are doing everything really well.

“For sure it is going to be our objective in the future to be ahead of everyone and try to win the Premier League. Now we need to be clever and smart and try to challenge them and try to be in the place that they are now. We are all fighting to try to be in their place.”