Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has openly disagreed with his Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca's assessment of the title race, insisting the Blues are genuine contenders ahead of their highly anticipated London derby.
Arteta's Title Race Verdict
Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash at Stamford Bridge, Arteta was unequivocal in his praise for Chelsea, stating they fully deserve to be competing at the top of the Premier League. This stands in direct contrast to Maresca, who has been more cautious, describing it as 'too early' to consider his team title challengers.
The league leaders, Arsenal, currently hold a six-point advantage over their second-placed rivals. This fixture comes after a season where Arsenal finished as runners-up for the third consecutive time, while Chelsea secured a fourth-place finish.
Chelsea's Resurgence Under Maresca
Despite Maresca's public reluctance to talk up a title challenge, his team's form tells a different story. Chelsea have enjoyed a significant upturn, winning five of their last six Premier League games to climb into second spot.
Their momentum was further boosted by a 3-0 thumping of Barcelona in the Champions League, a result that Maresca admitted left a 'nice feeling' within the squad. This strong run, combined with their Club World Cup victory in the summer and a productive transfer window, has solidified their credentials.
Arteta elaborated on his view, highlighting the quality within the Chelsea squad. 'I think we are all there, and they are there because they fully deserve what they have done in the last few years,' the Arsenal boss said. 'The squad that they assembled, the numbers that they have, the quality that they have... it makes sense that what is happening there is very, very positive and they deserve to be there.'
A Clash of Philosophies
The differing public statements from the two managers set the stage for a fascinating tactical battle. Arteta went as far as to call Chelsea 'one of the teams that I enjoy the most watching', praising their fluidity, threat, and individual talent.
This is not the first time Arteta has lavished praise on Chelsea's attack, having previously labelled them the 'best attacking team in the league by a mile' after a meeting in March.
Maresca, however, remains grounded. The Italian manager emphasised the long road ahead, stating, 'It's November, there's five or six months to go. It's important where we are in February and March.' He insisted that the result against Arsenal, while significant for the three points, would not change his perspective on the title race this early in the campaign.
With a six-point gap on the line, Sunday's derby promises to be a pivotal moment in the early stages of this season's Premier League title fight.
