Mauricio Pochettino was pleased that his team competed to such a high standard in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, but believes being the better side counts for nothing if lose on the scoreboard.

There was plenty that Chelsea did well at Wembley in their FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, as they enjoyed the better of the play and the chances for the vast majority of the game.

However, they were not able to make either count, as a number of decent opportunities came and went without the opening goal, before Man City struck late on to condemn them to a 1-0 defeat.

“In football the most important thing is to be clinical and to not concede,” said Pochettino. “Even if today we compete well, I can’t say that maybe we were the better side, because in football that is difficult to measure. But the important thing I think is that we competed. Competing in this way, now we need to take the positive things from the game. This type of group of players need these types of moments and games.

“Now it’s about taking the positive things and trying to keep the things we need and improve the areas we need to improve. Now is the time to finish the season in the best way and then of course see how we can do better next season.”

On Chelsea’s appeal for a penalty, Pochettino said: “I didn’t have a great view, from the touchline it was difficult to see if it was a penalty. I was talking to the referee at the end because after Jesus [Perez] and my staff said it was a penalty.

“I said I am not blaming the referee because he didn’t check. Only I said to him why not go to check the penalty on the TV, but the advice from the VAR says it wasn’t a penalty.”