Thomas Tuchel sets out N'Golo Kante plan after Chelsea star's masterclass against Liverpool

Thomas Tuchel plans to manage N'Golo Kante's minutes between now and the international break after admitting the Chelsea midfielder does the work of two players during matches.

The 29-year-old was at his imperious best in the 1-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield on Thursday evening, winning three tackles and making four interceptions while also fashioning two shooting opportunities, one of which was converted by Mason Mount to secure the three points for the Blues.

Kante didn't feature in Tuchel's opening two games in charge at Stamford Bridge as he was recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in training at the beginning of the year.

He has been slowly eased back into the first-team fold by the German coach and has started the last three Premier League matches.

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Kante wasn't however, named in the side for the Champions League win over Atletico Madrid, with Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic preferred in midfield.

And that is a scenario likely to be played out again in the coming weeks with Tuchel wary of pushing the World Cup winner to breaking point.

Speaking ahead of the Blues' game against Everton on Monday evening, Tuchel said: "It was clear from the first second of training what this guy is capable of doing. It's unbelievable.

"You see his intensity in the physical report after matches and you think they may have tracked two players and put it into the same sheet.

"He's unbelievable in what he delivers in terms of intensity, in terms of ball recoveries, his devotion to the group is world-class, at the highest level. I am very, very happy he is in our squad.

"He has come back from an injury so he will not play now every 90 minutes before the international break. We will manage him and we do that with the physical coaches.

"We have to take care that he is fit until the international break and when he comes back we hope he has the momentum where can rely on him in every game.

"I'm very happy to have him, Jorginho, and Kova [Kovacic] in defensive midfield, this is exactly the level we need to win games.

"So I am super happy with all of them."