‘We Outperformed Them’: Enzo Maresca Highlights Chelsea as Strong Title Contenders Against Arsenal

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca believes his team “are there” when it comes to competing with Arsenal for the Premier League title.

The Gunners entered Sunday’s match four points ahead at the top of the table, while the Blues trailed six points behind in third.

The match ended in a stalemate with each team scoring once, following a red card for midfielder Moises Caicedo in the 38th minute due to a dangerous tackle on Mikel Merino, a decision Maresca deemed fair.

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Enzo Maresca hints at Chelsea’s chances of a title challenge

Despite being a man down, Chelsea held their ground physically at Stamford Bridge, scoring first shortly after halftime with a header from Trevoh Chalobah.

Arsenal has been widely regarded as the top team in England this season, and possibly in Europe, but Maresca believes Chelsea showed they were the better side.

“We demonstrated that we are heading in the right direction,” the Chelsea manager stated to Sky Sports post-match. “I keep reiterating this because I truly believe we are on the right path.

“We were significantly better than them when it was 11 vs 11. And facing ten players complicates things more.

“I think we are an improved team compared to last season. We are getting closer, and we will see where we stand in February and March.”

When asked about whether Chelsea are contenders for the title, Maresca attempted to maintain his composure.

“We are there,” the Italian replied, with a spark in his eye suggesting he had observed enough from the match against Arsenal.

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According to eScored, Chelsea is unlikely to encounter many teams that can match Arsenal's quality and depth.

Therefore, earning a point against them indicates where this version of Chelsea stands in the Premier League hierarchy.

Achieving this with ten players for most of the match suggests that they could be on the verge of causing significant challenges for the Gunners, especially with players like Cole Palmer set to return.

Chelsea's next match is against Leeds United when Premier League action resumes next week.