Mikel Arteta makes surprise Premier League title 'contenders' admission before Chelsea clash | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has claimed that he knew Chelsea would be "contenders" to win the Premier League title just by watching Enzo Maresca's team in pre-season friendlies.

The Gunners head into Sunday's top-flight clash with their London rivals in second place, a yawning 15 points behind runaway league leaders Liverpool. Chelsea are six points further back. The Blues were second, within one win of the Merseyside club, in mid-December before enduring a rotten start to 2025.

Arteta's Chelsea counterpart Enzo Maresca always stressed that his side had no business being in a Premier League title race - a point which his players have emphatically proven - but the Arsenal boss was adamant that he had always spotted their potential.

"From the moment I watched them play in pre-season, understanding how Enzo works and the talent they have in the squad, they were contenders to even win it from the beginning," Arteta told assembled media this week.

There is plenty of mutual respect between Enzo Maresca and Mikel Arteta / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages

"They have so much there. The moment that everything lies together and they find that connection, energy and consistency, I think they can compete with any team."

Much like Arteta, Maresca honed his coaching skills at Manchester City under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. The Italian's insistence on deploying a patient passing approach has been criticised by an unhappy Stamford Bridge crowd in recent weeks and months, but Arteta was keen to laud his opposite number.

"He's a magnificent coach," the Spanish boss gushed. "He's very clear what he wants to do, he's been very clear what he wants and how he does it. I really like the way his team plays."

Arteta's admiration for Maresca would no doubt have been bolstered by the 1-1 draw Chelsea earned against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. However, the Blues haven't beaten their capital rivals since August 2021 - back when Thomas Tuchel was in charge and Romelu Lukaku led the line. Arsenal's current streak of six unbeaten matches in this fixture is their longest since a run of 19 between 1995 and 2005.