- Chelsea are third in the Premier League, with exactly the same record as Arsenal
- After two seasons of inconsistency, Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea have turned a corner
- LISTEN NOW: Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan joins us It all starts! to explain whether Pep Guardiola has money to spend in January
Enzo Maresca has been quick to pour cold water on their Premier League title hopes this season, which come after a perhaps unexpectedly strong start to the season.
After two seasons of inconsistency and uncertainty at Stamford Bridge – under Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino – Maresca appears to have turned a corner in west London.
His Chelsea side are currently level on points – and indeed have an identical record after thirteen games – with Arsenal, who are ahead in second place purely because they were the away side in the 1-1 draw earlier in the season.
Although Liverpool are the early leaders in the league, nine points clear of their London rivals, Maresca and Co have entered the title conversation after a third of the season.
Yet the Italian boss was quick to play down any hype surrounding his side as contenders for the crown. Instead, he suggested that fans and pundits alike may need to stop talking about the title for a few more years.
‘For me, Chelsea will be one of the teams, or the team, that will dominate English football in the next five to 10 years. This is what I said to the club when I first met them.
Enzo Maresca has suggested those backing his side for a title race should look a little further into the future
Chelsea have started the season strongly and have exactly the same record as Arsenal
‘Regardless of the manager, because of the age and because of the team you can dominate English football and I still think exactly the same way.
‘Now they haven’t asked me for a target in terms of objective, but to build something for the coming years is important. I think we are in the right direction.
‘In terms of personal goals, I know it’s hard to believe from the outside. I’m just ready to see how the players can improve today and how the team can improve.
‘I’m focused on Southampton, but I’m not focused on the end of the season, next season, two seasons, because that’s not real.’
Chelsea has placed a strong emphasis in recent transfer windows on signing young players with high ceilings who can develop into stars at the club, rather than investing in ready-made world beaters.
It’s a recruiting ethos that has attracted a lot of attention, with not all of their acquisitions reaching the same heights as Cole Palmer’s.
The Manchester City academy player is currently one of the leading players in the Premier League following his emergence in West London.
Since his debut last season, he has scored 33 goals and provided 21 assists in 60 appearances in all competitions, and has made 16 (eight goals, eight assists) contributions in 13 Premier League games this season, and has been crucial for the strong club of the Blues. form.
It may seem intriguing to onlookers that a manager whose side has exactly the same record as the one expected to be in the running, but Maresca revealed why he believes it is a different set of circumstances for Arsenal and Chelsea.
‘Absolutely, yes!’ he said when asked if he still believes his team is not in the running for the title/
‘That they have been there for the last two years, very close to City, and we were very far from City.
“I said being in the title race is a nice pressure for me and the players, it’s not that kind of pressure that you don’t like. It’s the kind of thing you like because you’re in a title race, but that’s not our case.
‘Arsenal have been very, very close to City in the last two years. Liverpool was there, we weren’t there. Like I said, hopefully we can get there soon.