Maurizio Sarri says Chelsea are having a better season than top-four rivals Arsenal.
The Blues boss bases his claim on the fact that his side have reached the season’s first cup final.
Chelsea take on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, live on talkSPORT, with Sarri’s future in doubt.
The Italian is under increasing pressure after losing three of his last four league games – and could be sacked if he fails to down City at Wembley.
Sarri said: “It’s important to win the final. It’s very important for us, we have to find confidence.
“We are in the first final of the season and one point off the [Premier League] top four.
“Arsenal’s season is good but we’re doing a little bit better because we are in the final, and our season is a disaster? I am not able to understand.
“I want to remind you that in the last two seasons this team had 70 points, not 100. In the summer, we changed everything. It is not easy.”
Chelsea ended City’s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge in December, before suffering a humiliating 6-0 loss in the reverse fixture earlier this month.
It was the Blues’ heaviest defeat since losing 7-0 to Nottingham Forest in 1991.
Sarri added: “I thought we were lucky in the first match because we were in trouble in the first-half, we scored in the last minute of the first-half and then the match changed.
“I thought we were unlucky in the second match because we started very well for five minutes but then conceded a stupid goal and we were unable to react. It was a disaster.
“For us, it’s very important to stay in the match for a long time [on Sunday] then we will be able to do something.”
Chelsea trail Arsenal in the Premier League on goals scored with both clubs one point off fourth-placed Manchester United.