Enzo Maresca names team that will challenge Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea for Premier League title
Yesterday at 01:28 PM
Enzo Maresca believes a fourth team will challenge Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea for the Premier League title.
Liverpool sit four points clear at the top of the table going into Christmas, the Reds losing just one of their 16 league games under new boss Arne Slot.
Chelsea are currently second having mounted a surprise title challenge under another newcomer to the Premier League, ex-Leicester City manager Maresca.
Arsenal, who have come desperately close to winning the title under Mikel Arteta, are third, with Nottingham Forest occupying the final Champions League spot following a sensational first-half of the season.
Another team surpassing expectations, Bournemouth, are fifth ahead of Aston Villa – who finished in the top-four last season – and defending champions Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side were attempting to win a record-extending fifth successive league title but have won less than half of their games this season to slip to seventh, 12 points behind Liverpool.
Despite the shocking run of form at the Etihad Stadium, Maresca expects Man City to challenge for the title at the business of the season and puts their current malaise down to injury issues.
Guardiola lost Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to a season-ending injury earlier in the season and has been without several other key City players.
‘ManchesterCity at the end will be there,’ Maresca said when asked if his former club were still in the title race. ‘They are in a moment that has never happened before.
‘Every time they play a game, they have an injury, and they don't have enough players in this moment.
‘And the ones they have are not 100 per cent because they have just come back from injury, so it is a very bad situation.’
On his own team’s title aspirations, Maresca added: ‘We are ahead of our expectations, in terms of the way we are playing, and the points we have.
‘But the main focus is how we can improve the players and how we can improve the team. It is not about the (title) pressure for the players or for the club or for me, it is just the reality.
‘I would like to have that kind of pressure and hopefully soon we can, but the reason why I said we are not there yet, is because the reality is that we are not.
‘The reality says we are second at the halfway point, so the table does reflect the teams.
‘But Liverpool have done a fantastic job since the first day, and the squad has lived that kind of moment, winning a trophy, which is important. We are happy to be where we are.’
Chelsea will look to return to winning ways against Fulham on Boxing Day following a frustrating goalless draw with Everton last time out.
Discussing the threat of Chelsea, Fulham boss Marco Silva said at his pre-match press conference: ‘They are very, very good. That is quite clear.
‘A football club that has spent money in such a short period of time, the quality was there. For young players, it’s not easy to find a club with so many young players performing.
‘They are very good and very confident to play in that system. They have been dominant in most of their games. It’s another big challenge for us.’
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