Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has tipped Chelsea to be among the strongest contenders for the Premier League title this season but believes one key issue could deny them glory.
Since losing to Flamengo in the group stages of the FIFA Club World Cup, the Blues have been riding high on form, winning each of their last seven matches. They sent a warning to rival teams ahead of the new season following dominant performances against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan during their pre-season preparations.
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Micah Richards acknowledged Chelsea’s attacking brilliance but expressed concern over their defensive strength. He believes this is an issue that could derail the Blues' title ambitions. Richards also opined that they should sign a top center-back in order to compete strongly.
He said:
“Chelsea are a good team. I think challenging [for the title]. I just think defensively, they’ve got so many attacking players that at times they do over commit, leave themselves exposed. If they bring in a top centre-half, I think they can challenge till the last five games of the season.”
“I look at the teams around them, I think they’re better defensively, and I think that’s the only thing that’s going to stop them. But if you watch them in the Club World Cup, I thought they were excellent, especially in the final against PSG.
Richards highlighted Chelsea’s ability to transition quickly from defense to attack as one of their biggest weapons.
“The ability to go from back to front so quick is going to catch teams off guard. It’s not only Cole Palmer, look at Joao Pedro, the way he links up, and they’ve got options like Delap as well. They’ve got pace on the wings, I think they’re challenging. Just miss out [on the title],” he concluded.
Chelsea's defensive concerns have been compounded by injury to key players. Levi Colwill picked up an ACL injury in a training session and is set to miss a huge chunk of the 2025/26 campaign after undergoing surgery. Adding insult to injury, Trevoh Chalobah also limped off against AC Milan in Sunday’s friendly match at Stamford Bridge. It remains to be seen whether they can rope in a new defender before the summer transfer deadline on September 1st.
Owen Hargreaves points out what Chelsea needs to do to finish in the top four in the 2025/26 season
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves backed Chelsea to finish in the top four this season, provided they sign a new goalkeeper. Current Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has faced heavy criticism for his high-profile errors between the sticks.
Speaking on TNT Sports, the Englishman also singled out teenage sensation Estevao Willian as the Blues’ most exciting summer signing.
“Estevao… this kid is like Cole Palmer with his style of play. I think people are going to be blown away by him. Obviously he’s very young but talent-wise, he’s going to get people off their seats. Him and Palmer together with Joao Pedro as well… I mean, if Chelsea just add a goalkeeper they’ll be in the top-four, for sure,” Hargreaves said.Enzo Maresca's men finished in fourth position on the Premier League table last season behind league winners Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final. Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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