Chelsea forward Cole Palmer dismissed the idea of his team being contenders in the Premier League title race following their dominant 3-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.
The candid attacker, who scored the third goal in style by curling a powerful shot past Villa’s substitute goalkeeper Robin Olsen, showed little patience for the suggestion during his post-match interview.
Despite their impressive performance, which saw Chelsea climb to third in the league standings, level on points and goal difference with second-placed Arsenal, Palmer was quick to temper expectations.
While Arsenal have openly expressed their ambition to challenge league leaders Liverpool, Chelsea have taken a much more cautious approach, firmly rejecting any talk of a title challenge.
With a mix of irritation and disbelief, Palmer brushed off the notion when asked about Chelsea’s title hopes. “It’s too early,” he stated firmly. He emphasized that the team’s focus is simply on winning games and securing a spot in the top four rather than competing for the league title. “Like the gaffer said, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal have been together for more than five years, whereas we’ve only been together for a season.”
Palmer’s comments echoed the sentiments of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who has consistently played down his team’s chances of contending for the title.
Speaking after the victory over Villa, Maresca reiterated his stance. “I think we are not ready to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal, and City for many reasons, and because we won today, I’m not going to change my idea,” he explained.
So far this season, Chelsea have only suffered defeats at the hands of league leaders Liverpool and reigning champions Manchester City. After a challenging start to the campaign, the Blues are now set to benefit from a relatively favorable schedule over the festive period.
Their upcoming fixtures include matches against five of the league’s bottom six teams, beginning with a trip to face Southampton, who sit at the bottom of the table, on Wednesday night. Chelsea won’t face another team currently in the top six until January 25, when they travel to Manchester City.
Should Chelsea continue to accumulate points during this promising run of fixtures, it may become increasingly difficult for Palmer and Maresca to deny the growing whispers of their title credentials. For now, however, they remain steadfast in their efforts to keep expectations in check.
