Enzo Maresca says Chelsea 'cannot compete' with Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City

Today at 10:53 AM

Enzo Maresca says Chelsea ‘are not ready’ to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City despite their impressive run of form.

Chelsea have only lost two games this season and Sunday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Aston Villa saw them remain level on points with second-placed Arsenal.

The Blues’ only defeats this season came at the hands of Man City on the opening day and Liverpool in October, with Chelsea also impressing in the Europa Conference League, topping the group phase with a perfect record.

Chelsea’s brilliant run has seen them move two points ahead of stuttering Manchester City, who have lost four league games in a row in the worst run of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.

But Maresca still doubts his own team’s title credentials and says Chelsea cannot compete with Liverpool, Arsenal or Man City.

‘I think we are not ready to compete with Arsenal, Liverpool and City for many reasons and because we won today I am not going to change my mind,’ he said after Chelsea beat Aston Villa.

‘But the good thing is we are improving and hopefully very soon we will be there.

‘This was a very good game for many reasons, one is that we played a team that is fantastic and I consider Emery to be a top manager.

‘He has won trophies everywhere and is doing something fantastic at Villa but also we prepared well for the game and deserved to win.

‘We have to live moments to get better these players, some of them in their lives they have played one final and that was the Carabao Cup last year.

‘That is the most important game they have played. Arsenal, Liverpool and City’s players have all played finals and been in title runs.

‘We will be there soon but that is why we are not ready to compete with those clubs.’

While Chelsea maintained their impressive form at the weekend, Aston Villa’s poor recent run continued, sending Unai Emery’s side into the bottom-half of the Premier League.

‘We have to try to keep balance,’ said Emery. ‘I know this year is going to be more difficult because some teams are feeling stronger, like Chelsea today.

‘We are going to try to recover our confidence, everything we are doing — and as well trying to understand this year is more difficult.

‘We need points, now thinking of the top eight and if we want to get top five. We have to come back with good results.

‘This year has been different because we are not a surprise like last year. They [opponents] don't have doubts now like they had last year. We were consistent last year with the same style and a lot of the same players.

‘This year a lot of teams are facing us thinking we are a top-seven opponent. They are feeling better than last year, like Chelsea.’

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