Thomas Tuchel has followed in the hallowed footsteps of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea as the Blues boss hopes lightning will strike twice.
The west Londoners walked away from Stamford Bridge deflated following their 1-0 loss to the hands of Manchester City in what could potentially prove to be a title-deciding clash.
However, despite the wave of sorrow that flooded Chelsea fans across the world, they can take great comfort in the knowledge that Tuchel has redeemed a token of salvation by completing his first step to etching his name in Blues history.
Pep Guardiola seemingly had the last laugh over Thomas Tuchel having completed his vengeance following Chelsea's Champions League triumph over City, despite the Mancunians being named the favourites leading up to the tie.
The German boss has unknowingly responded, dealing the Spaniard's Premier League title defence a major blow by copying a clever ploy unveiled by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in his first season.
In the Blues' 2004/05 Premier League winning campaign, Mourinho saw his Chelsea side lose their first game of the season to City 1-0; the same manner in which Tuchel lost his first.
The feat has boosted Chelsea's hopes of remaining in the title race, bolstered by the sight of rivals Liverpool and Manchester United also dropping points in the meantime.
Fuelling the narrative surrounding the Blues' 1-0 loss to City, United just so happened to also drop points - although not lose - to a Birmingham side - Birmingham City - in the same game week that Chelsea lost to City in 2004/05.
Arsenal also won 3-1 in the same game week that the Blues lost to Man City 1-0 in 2004/05 and 2021/22, mirroring their scoreline from the north London derby.
Mourinho's 2004/05 side went on to win the Premier League in spectacular fashion using a goalkeeper signed from Rennes (Petr Cech and Edouard Mendy) and a world-class Portuguese speaking centre-half (Ricardo Carvalho and Thiago Silva).
Add a tireless French midfielder (Claude Makelele and N'Golo Kante) to the mix, a pioneering English attacking midfielder (Frank Lampard and Mason Mount) and a striker who struggles to find the net (Mateja Kezman and Timo Werner), and all of a sudden the striking similarities are unearthed even more.
Which Chelsea side is better - 04/05 or 21/22? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Follow our CareFreeChelsea trends writer Jake Stokes on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
