Is Chelsea really a candidate for the Premier League title? This is a question that was rarely mentioned at the beginning of this month, but now, the answer will even be yes.
After spending nearly £1.5 billion on new signings since Todd Boehly and Clearlake took over in May 2022, Chelsea's title race seems inevitable. This generous investment should have turned The Blues into a formidable team. So, is Enzo Maresca's youth team capable of competing directly with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City this season?
If Chelsea beat Arsenal at Stamford Bridge this weekend, their title chances will become unchallenged.
Despite Arsenal's flourishing season, when Mikel Arteta's team leads both the Premier League and Champions League, the 6-point gap in the domestic league could be shortened by half if the "Gunners" lose to Chelsea. At the same time, third-placed Man City also have a chance to narrow the gap if they defeat Leeds United who are struggling at home at the Etihad.
City are still a big threat, although instability is at risk of stepping Pep Guardiola's team off track. While Erling Haaland has maintained his impressive scoring form, The Citizens are still fully capable of competing for the fifth championship in the last 6 seasons. Arteta and his students clearly understand that Guardiola's team is strong enough to break through in the decisive phase of the season.
Chelsea are still a mystery under Maresca, despite their ability to overcome difficulties and defeat top teams. A typical example is the victory over UEFA Champions League champion Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final.
Maresca's side have an unpredictable style of play, with talented young stars but inexperienced like Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho. They are on the rise, becoming a formidable opponent for Arsenal this weekend.
Arsenal are a strong and reliable team, where their lack of sophistication and improvisation is compensated by the ability to take advantage of set pieces from free kicks and corners. However, they do not have the freedom and surprise of Chelsea.
The Blues possess qualities that Arsenal do not have - both positive and negative - making the upcoming confrontation a clash in style and philosophy. And the results will partly reveal the situation of the championship race.
After a 1-2 home defeat to Sunderland on 25 October, Chelsea dropped to eighth in the Premier League. This was their third defeat in nine games, reflecting problems since Maresca took over in 2022. They have made too many changes, too many young and inexperienced players - all of which contributed to an unstable start to the season.
However, since then, the Blues have only suffered one defeat in 11 matches in all competitions, despite the absence of Cole Palmer due to injury. During that time, they scored 27 goals and kept 6 clean sheets. This streak also includes victories against Liverpool and Barcelona, proving Chelsea's potential strength.
If Chelsea win against Arsenal, they will prove themselves to be a really strong team. And so, The Gunners will have to do their best to keep their spirits up.
The match between Chelsea and Arsenal takes place at 11:30 p.m. on November 30 (Vietnam time).
