Former Manchester City defender, Micah Richards, has stated that Chelsea do not possess the quality or consistency needed to sustain a Premier League title challenge against Arsenal this season, even though he believes the Blues can compete to an extent.
Richards, speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, maintained that Manchester City remain the only team capable of pushing Arsenal all the way in the title race, despite their defensive lapses in recent weeks.
“I think Chelsea can challenge Arsenal, but I don’t think they will have enough,” Richards said while assessing the current title landscape. He added that Pep Guardiola’s side still pose the greatest threat to the Gunners:
“I think Man City are still the ones who can challenge them all the way, even though they are conceding easy goals for their standards.
“I say that because they have got someone like [Erling] Haaland, who did not score against Leeds, but [Phil] Foden stepped up.”
Arsenal currently sit at the top of the Premier League table after 13 matches, holding a five-point advantage over Manchester City. Chelsea trail Mikel Arteta’s men by six points and sit just one point behind Guardiola’s side.
The result is a narrative shaping toward another intense Arsenal vs Manchester City title battle, with Chelsea still viewed as outsiders lacking the squad depth and stability required for a season-long fight.
