Chelsea are third in the Premier League, the same number of points behind league leaders Liverpool as Arsenal. It has been an excellent start to the season for Enzo Maresca, brought into the club in the summer to replace Mauricio Pochettino.
Many expected this to be something of a transition season for the Blues, with the change in head coach and the Italian having to get to know and understand a bulging squad. However, they have surprised everyone and are right in the thick of things at the top of the table.
Yet Chelsea are not being considered as genuine title contenders. Not just by pundits and supporters but by their own head coach!
Maresca said on Sunday: "I do not agree with that [Chelsea being title contenders]. We are not ready to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and City for many reasons.
"Because we won today, I am not going to change my idea. We are not ready for that. The good thing is we are improving. Soon, hopefully we can be there."
But if Arsenal can be considered contenders, being nine points adrift, should Chelsea not be too? It can't just be down to the fact Arsenal have been there and done it for the past two seasons - runners-up, not winners.
football.london asked its writers to have their say on whether Chelsea are in the title race or not.
Bobby Vincent
It is a tough one. Their position right now suggests they are in the mix at least but whether or not they can sustain this level of consistency in Maresca's first season is another question.
I do think not unfortunately. Not only that, but Liverpool look to already be running away with it. The level they are playing at right now, and Arsenal seem to be getting back to, suggests it might be a bit too much for Chelsea.
But, please, do not forget; finishing in the top four this season will be incredible for the Blues. Nobody gave them the slightest chance to do that when the fixtures got announced in the summer.
People were writing Maresca off before they had even seen his side kick a ball. Now look at him. He is continuing to make some people look very silly.
So, title race or not, just make sure you finish in that top four, Chelsea!
Tom Coley
The short answer here is no, absolutely not. Mainly because Liverpool are comfortably the best team in the league. Chelsea are certainly in a race to be the second best team, though.
Maybe they will end up in third, fourth even, both would be a success. Fifth might do them for Champions League football but across 2024 they have been the fourth top performing side in the country and it has looked that way, too.
Chelsea aren't in a title race because there isn't a race at the moment in general. Liverpool are already nine clear and look too solid to give that up, even with two thirds of the season to go. Besides, Chelsea haven't experienced a true title challenge with this squad yet and it would take minerals of the type we just have no evidence they possess. To go all the way in their first attempt would be ridiculous and improbable.
Given what is to come for Maresca across December there is every chance Chelsea are Liverpool's closest rival heading into 2025 but whether the gap to the top is small enough to consider it a title race is another thing. Chelsea should focus on clearing the gap to fifth - and beyond that sixth - before their aspirations get any more lofty.
Maybe next season, but not just yet. Liverpool are too far gone.
Sam Truelove
For me, no chance.
Chelsea have looked very good under Enzo Maresca so far but I don't believe we can put them in the same category as Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City yet. The Blues are ahead of Pep Guardiola's side in the league but I back City to return to winners ways in December while I only see Chelsea dropping points.
Don't get me wrong, Chelsea are making rapid progress and look much better than last season. But the team is relatively young and still needs time to gel. The squads Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City have are full of quality and have been built over a number of years.
Chelsea will be title challengers again. Perhaps even next year. But, for now, the Blues should be targeting a top four finish and that would still be classed as a successful season.
Isaac Johnson
It’s been a cracking start for Chelsea, but can you really see them overcoming all three of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City (write them off at your peril!) over the course of the whole season? I can’t, not yet anyway.
The Blues have a great squad but you need a super squad to win titles. Cole Palmer aside, there aren’t too many world class players in there yet. Some might be on their journey towards that.
But in defence, the likes of Robert Sanchez and Levi Colwill are at times costing Chelsea points rather than earning them while Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke are too inconsistent to be branded as title-chargers.
Simply put, Chelsea are lacking the experience needed to carry them through the tougher times. The oldest actively-used player is only 27!
This lack of nous that only time offers was shown most notably against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final last season. That squad still contains the same talisman as this season for the most part, minus Thiago Silva.
Trophy-laden Palmer, from his days at Man City, and World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez are perhaps the exception to the rule regarding silverware experience. All the rest still have yet to prove themselves as trophy hunters.
Lee Wilmot
I'm not surprised by everything that's been said above, given where Chelsea have been in the last few seasons. And it's not just because everyone else has pretty much said the same thing that I'm going to say the opposite. I genuinely believe they are in the title shake-up.
Thins were starting to click under Mauricio Pochettino last season and while Enzo Maresca has come in with a fresh new attitude and a slightly different way of playing, the team is more cohesive and on the same wavelength now, it has not been the major upheaval many might have expected, myself included.
The Blues have had a great start to the season and deservedly sit as one of Liverpool's nearest challengers for the title. Personally I think the gap is already too big and that Liverpool will go on and win it now, but if we're counting Arsenal as title contenders, I think we should be with Chelsea too.
Every time I've seen them this season I've liked what I've seen. They are pretty strong at the back, the midfielders seems to be on fire and in Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson you have goalscorers who can take games away from opposition.
They may not have the experience, but Arsenal didn't have the experience of a title challenge when they were runners-up to Man City in 2022/23 and we could see an Enzo Maresca masterclass with back-to-back league titles with different clubs.
Matt Abbott
Is there a Premier League title race to be in right now? Chelsea have the same record as Arsenal while nine points behind the leaders Liverpool, with Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City a further two from them.
For comparison, the Gunners and West Ham United are separated by ten points despite being 12 places apart in the table. Clubs could make it a title race again if they are to stay faultless and Liverpool drop points, but until then, it is hardly a contest.
With all that said, Chelsea look as likely as anyone to prevent it from being a procession in their current form. Being in the Conference League rather than the Champions League could give them the edge over the likes of Arsenal, with Enzo Maresca able to completely rotate and keep his first-choice players fresh for the league campaign.
They also welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge in early May before Arsenal go to Anfield a week later. However, the title could already be decided by then unless the gap grows even further rather than reduces.
Jack Flintham
If Arsenal are in a title race then Chelsea certainly should be considered to be in it too. However, like the Gunners, they are outsiders at best until the gap closes on Liverpool at the top of the league.
So far, Maresca's side have struggled against teams in and around them. Defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City showed signs of promise but could ultimately be the difference when it comes to them being contenders in 2025.
Unlike Arsenal, who will be concerned to be this far off the pace with City faltering, Chelsea can afford to be patient. Progress has been made by the Blues this season and so far the decision to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino looks to be paying off.
All this should prove to be good experience for Chelsea next season where they will be expected to push on again. A miracle could happen this season but the title at the moment is Liverpool's to lose.
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