‘I think everyone knows they have a great midfield and great attacking players, but we have too and I think that is why it is often a great game.’

Not to be forgotten either are some exemplary performances by Chelsea’s rearguard in the previous two seasons when we emerged from four league meetings with City with two wins and two draws.

‘We need to defend like the team defended in those games,’ Oscar agrees. ‘I know we lost our last game against Swansea but especially in the Premier League we have been playing well and we need to continue this.

‘Everyone is upset, the players and the fans, because this season is not the season we wanted because we had the team to fight for the title. We don’t this season but we try and now we have six games left to play well for the fans.’

Oscar then turns his thoughts to further ahead and strikes an optimistic note.

‘The team now is almost the same team we had last season for winning the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. The team is very good but we had injuries this season, we had a change of coach and we had little problems with the team, but everyone knows we have a great team and for sure next season we come back strong. This season we didn’t start well but we will try to prepare for next season to start well.’

Overcoming Man City is the most immediate target with Bournemouth away to follow, but coming soon is another big home game with Tottenham in the unusual position of heading down the Fulham Road higher than Chelsea in the league table. This will lead to some fears about the vulnerability of our proud unbeaten run at home against these London rivals. Oscar was not even born the last time Spurs won at Stamford Bridge. He is fully aware of the magnitude of the first match in May.

‘Another big game and for sure we will prepare well for this one. The team’s first thoughts are with the Man City game and then Bournemouth but after is the next game at home against Tottenham and we need to prepare for the big derby.’

With young players increasingly involved in the closing weeks of this campaign, at the age of 24 Oscar is no longer one of the most youthful in the squad. Indeed he became a father for the second time with the birth of his son Gaius at the start of this week.

He smiles and points out he is still relatively young for a footballer when asked if he now feels like one of the senior players at Chelsea, but he agrees he is able to guide the newest influx along,

‘Not just me but every player with more experience is helping when they come in to play games. Ruben is doing well, Kenedy is doing well, Bertrand is doing well. I think we have a lot of young players this season who everyone is helping become confident and they play well.’

Another recent addition to the side has been Oscar’s compatriot Pato and the instant understanding between them was noticeable at Aston Villa, not least in the silky move that led to Pedro’s first goal early in the second half. It shouldn’t come as a surprise.

‘We have played a bit together and he is a good friend,’ Oscar reveals.

‘We played for Brazil at the London Olympics and the friendly games before that. He was the striker and I was the player behind him and when he has confidence, Pato is a very good player.’ Those last words are accompanied by a little whistle to emphasis the admiration.

‘Now his confidence comes. He’s played just two games but maybe he has more opportunities now. He is happy because he is in a big club and he wants this.’