Mauricio Pochettino claims 'data' shows Chelsea should be fourth in the Premier League - but while the Blues are underperforming, stats show the Argentinian is WRONG

Mauricio Pochettino has bizarrely claimed 'data' shows Chelsea should be fourth in the Premier League this season, but a closer look at the statistics tell a completely different story.

The Argentinian was hailed as the coach to bleed through Chelsea's talented youngsters and work with experienced starts to help deliver success that has been absent under the reign of co-owner Todd Boehly.

However, things haven't worked out that way with Chelsea languishing in 11th in the Premier League standings and 17-points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Pochettino's claim about Chelsea's Premier League position comes at a time when fans have fumed over 'irreversible toxicity' at the club due to the poor results and performances.

Delivering his statement of defiance, Pochettino said: 'If you look at all the data, in the table we should be in fourth position. But for different reasons, we are not there.

'What the data means is that we are in a good way. In which area do we need to improve? It's things [that will come] with time. 

'We need to compete better, small details. You can only get this with experience with time playing together.

'It's easy to find the data when you want to kill someone. But when the data is good and reflects the team is doing well but for different reasons we're not getting the results we deserve, [we should] trust in the process,' he added.

While his pleas about Chelsea's Premier League ranking might be an attempt to relieve any pressure from the board members scrutinising Pochettino's position, the data reveals a different narrative.

The five-time Premier League winners fail to be in the top 10 sides for shots both including and excluding blocks, while a host of other teams also boast better records for shots on target and expected goals.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are joint 12th for clean-sheets, 10th for goals conceded, 15th on tackle success rate and 14th on expected goals conceded when compared to every other team in the English top-flight.

In fact, Chelsea only have the fourth-best expected goal difference per game with 0.36 for per 90 minutes while the reality of their +2 goal difference accounts to just 0.07 per game.

A Carabao Cup final defeat saw them come agonisingly close to securing a first trophy under Pochettino before the Blues fell apart in extra time against Liverpool, with a semi-final clash against Man City in the FA Cup representing a last chance to win silverware this season. 

Pochettino's current contract runs until 2025 with the option of a further year and the former Spurs head coach only had words of praise for those in charge of his future at Stamford Bridge.

'I'm going to support the owners that invest and that arrived to the club in a very difficult situation,' said Pochettino, who was hired last summer.

'The intention is very good. The owners are trying to develop a different project to before. Fans need to understand that it's a new project with different ideas,' he added.