Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will be even more confident that his side can leave a genuine impression on those at the top of the Premier League table this season.
Maresca was keen to warn people Chelsea weren’t in a title race last season, despite them at times being within a couple of points of Liverpool at the top.
However, many are tipping the Blues for a stronger campaign, particularly after their success at the Club World Cup over the summer.
Micah Richards believes Chelsea are a new defender away from genuinely competing for the title, and the general consensus is that they will maintain their place in the Champions League spots.
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Ally McCoist predicts Chelsea to finish above Manchester City
To do so, the Blues would need to move past Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool, who all finished ahead of Maresca’s side last season.
It would likely involve picking up wins in these particular fixtures. Only one of the six games against these sides ended in a Chelsea win, with that coming after Liverpool had already won the league.
Ally McCoist is one of those who is confident the Blues can deliver next season. He predicted Chelsea to come third, ahead of Manchester City in fourth.
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This would see Maresca, Cole Palmer and more in the Chelsea squad finishing above their former clubs, with many of the players clearly not being seen as good enough at the time for Pep Guardiola’s side.
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Chelsea looking to end dire run against City
The Blues are currently in the middle of a dire run of form against Man City, something that will be at the top of the list
Chelsea have not picked up a win in any of the last 11 meetings between the two sides in all competitions, with their last victory being in the 2021 Champions League final.
They were defeated at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of last season, with Chelsea fans booing Maresca’s style of play in just his first competitive game in charge.
Fast forward 12 months later, there are hardly any doubting the current Blues boss, and he is less than a week away from getting his second season of Premier League football underway.