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Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea sit third in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Southampton (Picture: Getty)
Manchester United legend Gary Neville says he agrees with Enzo Maresca that Chelsea are not serious title contenders, despite the club’s strong start to the Premier League season.
Since taking over the reins from Mauricio Pochettino in the summer, Maresca has more than looked the part at Stamford Bridge, earning himself plenty of plaudits across the game.
The Italian inherited an exceedingly bloated squad from his predecessor but has quickly landed on a settled starting XI and the Blues have surpassed the expectations of many fans and pundits this season.
Unbeaten in six in all competitions, the west London giants could go second with victory away to lowly Southampton this evening, depending on the outcome of Arsenal’s clash with Manchester United.
However, Maresca has repeatedly knocked back claims that Chelsea could be surprise title challengers – though believes his side are capable of ‘dominating English football’ over the next five to ten years.
‘In terms of expectation, we are ahead of my expectations in the way we are playing and in terms of results,’ Maresca told reporters ahead of Chelsea’s trip to St Mary’s.
‘We started four, five months ago so it’s been a short time together.
Chelsea Training and Press Conference
The Blues are riding a three-match winning streak in all competitions (Picture: Getty)
‘But the best feeling I have is that there are many things we can do better and we’re in the right direction.
‘The good thing is I still think what I said to the owners and sporting directors the first time we spoke. Because of the age and how good the squad is, Chelsea for the next five or ten years is going to be one of the teams to dominate English football – no matter who is the manager.
‘I still think exactly the same thing but I’m focused on Southampton, not on the end of the season, next season or two seasons time because it’s not real.’
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Liverpool are big favourites for the title, says Neville (Picture: Getty)
Previewing this week’s Premier League fixtures on The Overlap US’ It’s Called Soccer, Neville was asked about Chelsea’s chances of pulling off an almighty shock in the top flight this season.
And while Neville has been impressed by Maresca’s start, he is confident Liverpool remain ‘strong favourites’ and Chelsea will not be lifting the trophy come next May.
Asked whether Chelsea are in the title race, Neville replied: ‘No they’re not and, to be honest with you, I heard Maresca’s answer [regarding Chelsea’s title chances] and I thought two things about that.
Liverpool FC v Manchester City FC - Premier League
Liverpool have opened up a nine-point lead at the top (Picture: Getty)
‘One was, well done, you’ve got to lower expectations because they’re not going to win the league. I genuinely don’t believe they are.
‘But then there is an element of, to be fair, it could be a mad season where you never know what’s going to happen and should he leave the door open a little bit?
‘At this moment in time, obviously, Liverpool are big favourites but I can’t believe they’re not going to hit a bad patch at some point, I can’t believe it’s 13 games in and we’re only a third of the season gone.’
West Ham United FC v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Arsenal are level on points with Chelsea after 13 games (Picture: Getty)
While conceding that Liverpool have asserted themselves as the firm title favourites, Neville believes the table can be ‘misleading’ and Arsenal are more than capable of closing the gap over the coming weeks.
‘There’s this stat that has come out that every team that has been this far out in front at this stage of the season has always gone on it win the league,’ the former Manchester United and England right-back added.
‘So it’s almost like, “Right, it’s a guarantee that Liverpool are going to win the league”, however, there are many times after 15 or 20 games where teams have been this far in front and they’ve lost the league.
Chelsea Training and Press Conference
Maresca has repeatedly played down Chelsea’s title chances (Picture: Getty)
‘It’s a point in the season whereby this is one of the highest leads anyone has ever had at this point of the season so every team that has been in this position has always won the league so Liverpool, in everyone’s mind now, must win the league.
‘But the likes of Newcastle, Manchester United, Arsenal, I think in the past have been this far in front or have had big points leads with 12, 15, 18 games to go and lost the league from positions that are obviously further down the line.
‘I do think it’s a little bit misleading at this moment in time. I do think Liverpool are strong favourites but I do think they’ll hit a patch, Arsenal will go on a run, that gap will narrow and we’ll see what happens.’
Neville continued: ‘Arsenal have got a group of fixtures that are as friendly as they’re going to be and that takes them into early to mid-January.
‘They have got to have close that gap quite significantly with these fixtures they’ve got coming in in these next four or five weeks.
‘It’s an important part of the season, that winter stretch, where Arsenal have got to get back on the shoulder, back in contention.’
Can Chelsea win the title this season?
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