Following Chelsea’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham, the question of whether they are true Premier League title contenders has intensified. While Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca maintains that his team isn’t yet on par with Liverpool or Manchester City, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher disagrees.
Despite the close scoreline, Chelsea largely dominated the game. Tottenham took advantage of a few Chelsea mistakes to score three goals, but the Blues controlled possession and consistently looked threatening.
Even when they were 2-0 down early on, Chelsea never appeared out of the fight. They mounted a strong comeback with four goals, securing a vital win that moved them into second place, ahead of Arsenal.
However, Maresca remains cautious, downplaying Chelsea’s title prospects and stating that his team is not yet at the level of Liverpool or Manchester City. This reserved approach has not convinced Carragher, who believes Chelsea are firmly in the race for the title.
Carragher compared Maresca’s stance to that of Claudio Ranieri during Leicester City’s surprise title win in 2016, noting that Ranieri similarly downplayed his team’s title chances. Carragher suggested that Maresca might be following a similar strategy, but he argued that Chelsea are legitimate contenders this season.
While praising Chelsea’s attacking power and overall quality, Carragher pointed to a key weakness—goalkeeper.
He noted that Chelsea’s keeper has been responsible for some costly mistakes, including in the Tottenham match. “There were clearances that could have led to goals,” he said, also referencing Chelsea’s performance against Liverpool at Anfield, where they outplayed Liverpool but couldn’t fully capitalize on their dominance.
Carragher believes Chelsea’s goalkeeper could be a major obstacle, especially in tight matches, and compared Chelsea’s keeper unfavorably to those of Liverpool and Arsenal.
Despite acknowledging that no team, not even Liverpool or Manchester City, is perfect, Carragher warned that Chelsea’s goalkeeper situation could undermine their title hopes.
He concluded that while Chelsea’s outfield players are strong enough to challenge for the title, inconsistent goalkeeping could prove detrimental over the course of the season.
In contrast to Maresca’s cautious outlook, Carragher is confident Chelsea can compete for the title, pointing to their recent performances as evidence. However, concerns about goalkeeping remain a potential stumbling block in their quest for success.
