Chelsea welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge this afternoon in a showdown that could have huge ramifications on the Premier League title race
Shaun Wright-Phillips believes Chelsea can become serious contenders for the Premier League title should they pick up a win over Arsenal this afternoon.
Going into a huge London derby at Stamford Bridge, the Blues sit six points adrift of the leading Gunners. Enzo Maresca has so far refused to be drawn into any talk of his young squad competing for the league title, but it has been an impressive start to the season.
Wright-Phillips, who won the league with Chelsea in his debut season at Stamford Bridge in 2006, has backed his former club to compete in the Premier League title race this term – something they have not managed to do since the 2016/17 campaign, where the Blues were crowned champions under Antonio Conte.
“I’d say Arsenal are the team most under pressure,” Wright-Phillips said to BestBettingSites. “They know they’re top, and they’e got a chasing pack ready for them to make mistakes. They know they need to keep winning and that the pressure is on them. They don’t want to let that gap get chipped away at.
“If anything, they will be aiming to build the cushion going into the Christmas period, where the games come thick and fast and teams can stumble.
“But for Chelsea, it’s almost a statement match. A win there, and they will believe that they are real challengers for the title. They might play it down, but a win there puts them in a great position to pick Arsenal off, and it will be a huge boost for their confidence. If you can beat this Arsenal team – scoring loads, defending brilliantly – then you can beat anyone.”
While victory would put them in contention, according to Wright-Phillips, the ex-Chelsea winger is not fully convinced they will have what it takes to go all the way in the Premier League this season.
Wright-Phillips added: “They need to stay on Arsenal’s coattails in the Premier League. Can they do it? Maybe. I’m not convinced yet. They give up chances at the back, especially through the middle. We know the keeper [Robert] Sanchez can get a bit too confident and give other teams opportunities. It’s just whether people take them or let them off the hook.
“But at the moment, I think Chelsea are in a good position. I don’t think they played that well against Burnley, but they beat them, and three points against Burnley away is a big three points.”
Maresca’s side have been beaten just once since the start of October, and that has put them in the conversation. Wright-Phillips believes there is now a clear direction towards where Maresca is leading the club and that has helped take the Blues to the next level.
“The biggest thing Maresca has given Chelsea is an identity,” Wright-Phillips said. “I think before then, when they were chopping and changing managers, that was what they struggled with.
“Nobody really knew which direction the club would take under each manager. We all knew they had fantastic players, with Moises Caicedo a great example. At Brighton, he knew his role, he knew where he had to be. When he first came to Chelsea, it was like there was no structure for him to fit into.
“When he got the ball, it wasn’t clear where he should pass, and he’d keep taking one touch after another. Now Maresca is there, it feels like he knows exactly what he needs to be doing.”
