Jamie Carragher has backed Chelsea to finish ahead of Tottenham this season in a U-turn from his original Premier League top four prediction.
Enzo Maresca’s side are currently sat in third place, nine points off leaders Liverpool, but just a point behind champions Manchester City in a very bunched league table.
Spurs are three points back in sixth, but did produce arguably the performance and result of the season with a 4-0 win over City at the Etihad Stadium last weekend.
Carragher initially predicted the Blues to finish outside the top six after another summer of heavy turnover, but has now admitted he simply did not expect this type of drastic improvement under Maresca.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I think Tottenham might just miss out but that is not so much about them. I think Chelsea have been so impressive at the start of the season and a lot better than I thought they would be.”
‘So I am actually looking at Chelsea now. I can’t really make a case for them not being in the top four. I think the fact they’ve gone out the Carabao Cup early, the European competition that they’re in, I think they’ll go in long until the end of the season and probably win that competition but it’s against very average, ordinary opposition so we know Maresca has played the second team in every game and I think that will continue.
Chelsea are enjoying a strong season under Enzo Maresca
Chelsea FC via Getty Images
As well as Chelsea’s potentially easier schedule, Carragher also pointed out Spurs’ maddening inconsistency so far this season, which has seen them hammer both Manchester sides away from home but lose to strugglers Ipswich and Crystal Palace, as a reason for his current view.
‘So I find it very difficult not to put Chelsea in my top four. I will now change Tottenham and Chelsea. The reason with Tottenham is just that inconsistency, you look at their numbers, their underlying numbers this season, they’re actually better than they were last season when Tottenham were top of the table and had made the best start for a long time under Ange Postecoglou.
‘But they’re typical Tottenham. Tottenham fans wanted their Tottenham back and they’ve got them back. Great football, exciting, lots of goals but you can never be sure what type of performance they’re going to put in. Is it going to be the Manchester City performance where they win away 4-0 or is it going away to Crystal Palace and losing 1-0? so I’m going to go for Tottenham in fifth. That’s why I see them not getting a Champions League position.’
While Carragher is discussing top four, both sides’ performances in Europe, as well as that of the other Premier League sides, could open up a fifth position in next season’s Champions League.
Both London sides are both in home action this weekend, with Spurs hosting Fulham and Chelsea entertaining Aston Villa on Sunday.