Eden Hazard has ruled Arsenal out of the race for the Premier League title, claiming their only challenge is to finish above Manchester City and Liverpool.
The Blues beat London rivals Tottenham on Saturday evening to return to the top of the table after Liverpool had leapfrogged them earlier in the day, and one of their stars has now played down our title chances.
Funnily enough, the last team to beat or even take a single point away from Chelsea this season was Arsenal, in our 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium back in September, but that hasn’t stopped Eden Hazard from dismissing us.
“Man City and Liverpool. They are both good,” Hazard said when asked who Chelsea’s main challengers are. “If we want to be there at the end, then we have to finish above them.”
The Belgian winger may have to reconsider his stance should his side lose next weekend when they travel to Manchester City, as our beloved Arsenal side will draw level on points should we secure a win over West Ham United as expected on Saturday evening.
We haven’t lost a single match in any competition since the opening weekend of the campaign, and even picked up a win this weekend, during a month well-known to be somewhat of a curse for us.
I don’t want to jinx it, but we also seem to be dealing with our injury situation well, and are also expected to welcome back the likes of Lucas Perez, Danny Welbeck and Santi Cazorla in the coming weeks, which will only strengthen our options.
We’re also the only team within touching distance who actually finished in last season’s top three…
Do we want Man City to win or draw against the Blues next week? What more do we have to do to convince people that we are serious contenders?
Pat J
Statements like these from other teams players should be enough motivation for our players to go out and give it 100% and prove the doubters wrong. Time for them to stop having people believe Arsenal are always a nearly team. Time we make a statement as well in the Champions League round of 16 regardless of who we come up against.
the way we’ve been playing of late proves that we are contesting for 4th place trophy again. We need to get serious and go for the title.
Some deplorable article and comments. First Harzard did not rule any team out of the race but just mentioned two teams that came into his mind at the time. Second, Harzard is no specialist on who would finish where, even Chelsea are not guaranteed to finish in the top 4. We saw how they lost 8 points in three games, and suddenly found themselves in sixth or somewhere there. Some Chelsea fans were even calling for the sack of Conte. That run of poor form can return any time to them. Third Arsenal are just three points off top, and it just needs one round of matches to change the standings at the top. Fourth, Arsenal dropped points to Liverpool, Tottenham, Man United, Leicseter, and Middlesborough. The only regret there could be the 2 points dropped against Karanga’s team because of their status in the eyes of the media and pundits.
At this stage of the season no one knows who will finish first, and all big teams are at best playing to finish in the top four.
Please educate them.
Just 13 matches, 3 points from the top and we are out of contention?
Chelsea started well and then drop and picked up and people think they will be there all season?
We’ve not lost since the first match and the last time I checked the table it’s four teams that lost only once and we are one of them.
We have only one “big” team left to play this half.
Don’t write us off yet.
What more do we have to do to convince people that we are serious contender? Just win games and sit at the top!