Mikel Arteta makes surprise Premier League title ‘contenders’ admission before Chelsea clash

• Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Chelsea and manager Enzo Maresca
• Arsenal host the Blues in the Premier League on Sunday
• Arteta claimed that he spotted Chelsea’s potential in pre-season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claim. That he knew Chelsea would be “contenders” to win the Premier League title just by watching Enzo Maresca’s team in pre-season friendlies.

The Gunners head into Sunday’s top-flight clash with their London rivals in second place, a yawning 15 points behind runaway league leaders Liverpool. Chelsea are six points further back. The Blues were second, within one win of the Merseyside club, in mid-December before enduring a rotten start to 2025.

Arteta’s Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca always stress. That his side had no business being in a Premier League title race – a point which his players have emphatically proven – but the Arsenal boss was adamant that he had always spotted their potential.

“From the moment I watch them หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล play in pre-season, understanding how Enzo works and the talent they have in the squad, they were contenders to even win it from the beginning,” Arteta told assembled media this week.

“They have so much there. The moment that everything lies together and they find that connection, energy and consistency, I think they can compete with any team.”

Much like Arteta, Maresca honed his coaching skills at Manchester City under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. The Italian’s insistence on deploying a patient passing approach has been criticised by an unhappy Stamford Bridge crowd in recent weeks and months, but Arteta was keen to laud his opposite number.