Former Newcastle United and England striker Alan Shearer is sticking by his prediction that Chelsea will win the Premier League title this season, warning Manchester City that they face a stern test this coming weekend.
Chelsea, who only just secured a top-four finish on the final day of last season, continued their impressive start to this season with a 3-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Second half goals from Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kane and Antonio Rudiger sealed a fourth win in five matches for Thomas Tuchel’s side, moving them back to the top of the Premier League table on goal-difference ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United.
Having won the UEFA Champions League last season and been nothing short of outstanding following Tuchel’s arrival at the club, Chelsea were Shearer’s pick at the start of the campaign to win the title this season, and already he is standing by it following their victory over Spurs.
“The Premier League title race is only just getting started, but Chelsea already look like they will be very hard to stop,” Shearer told BBC Sport.
“Thomas Tuchel’s side look seriously impressive right now, but they have done since he took charge in January.
“Even when they are not playing well or things go wrong – like it did when Reece James was sent off at Anfield last month – Chelsea still give very little away.
“As they showed in their brilliant 3-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday, the Blues have an extremely strong squad and a very good manager too.”
Having already faced three of the traditional ‘big-six’ this season and taken seven points from nine on offer, Chelsea will fancy their chances of increasing that tally to ten when they face City on Saturday lunchtime at Stamford Bridge, in what could already prove to be a huge game in the battle for the title.
Pep Guardiola’s side have experienced an indifferent start to the campaign, taking ten points from their first five games, with Saturday’s goalless draw with Southampton seen as a really disappointing result.
With that in mind, a defeat to Chelsea would leave them six points behind them and already playing catch-up.
And for Chelsea, in the eyes of Shearer, going up against City won’t worry them.
“Chelsea’s next test is against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but that won’t faze them,” he added.
“They beat City three times under Tuchel last season, including in the Champions League final. He will be ready for Pep Guardiola again, I’m sure.”
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