Pundits Alan Shearer and Paul Merson believe Chelsea are not ready to compete for the title quite yet.
Both were very impressed with the Blues’ performance against Arsenal at the weekend, but speaking on The Rest of Football podcast, Shearer said that Enzo Maresca’s men are not contenders to win the Premier League:
“I think Chelsea will finish in the top four. I don’t see them having quite enough [to win the title]. But hey, I didn’t fancy them to win the Club World Cup when they won it, so that shows you what pundits think. But I think anyone going in against Chelsea will know they’re going to have to play really, really well against them.”
Writing in his Sporskeeda column, Merson was more positive, but he thinks the best they can hope for is a second-place finish:
“Looking at Chelsea’s squad, they surely have it in them to finish above Manchester City this season.”
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What is the state of play in the Premier League after 13 games?
The draw against Arsenal has kept Chelsea six points behind the league leaders, but Manchester City have managed to leapfrog them in the table after their victory over Leeds.
Aston Villa are currently 4th, level on points with Maresca’s team, but they will face Arsenal at home this weekend in what could be an intriguing encounter.
What are the odds of Chelsea winning the title?
After drawing against the Gunners with ten men, the bookmakers have shortened the Blues’ odds ever so slightly. They are currently third favourites, priced between 10/1 and 14/1.
Unsurprisingly, Arsenal remain the leading contender to secure their first title in over 20 years, with Mikel Arteta’s side odds-on. Manchester City are still second in the runners and riders, being priced at 3/1.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here