Maresca's Chelsea no longer title outsiders with top spot in reach

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been at pains to play down the club's chances of winning the Premier League in his first season in charge but if they beat Everton away on Sunday then, for a few hours at least, his side will top the table.

The Italian's insistence that Chelsea are not ready to win their first title since 2016-17 is understandable given that few predicted a realistic challenge by the London outfit this term.

But the evidence so far suggests that what the Italian says in public and what he actually believes are not aligned.

With a deep and richly-talented squad , which according to website transfermarkt has a combined market value of more than one billion euros, at his disposal, Chelsea look more than capable of taking the fight to leaders Liverpool.

Ahead of the Goodison Park trip, Chelsea are the Premier League form team. They have won six and drawn two of their last eight games and are top scorers with 37 goals from 16 games.

Victory would lift Maresca's side to 37 points, one more than Liverpool who have a testing trip to Tottenham Hotspur later on Sunday.

'REAL DEAL'

Chelsea's form is no flash in the pan. Even before Maresca arrived to replace Mauricio Pochettino, the signs were there that this expensively-assembled squad were beginning to gel.

Since mid-March, Chelsea have won more Premier League games than any other team, picking up 61 points, six more than Manchester City and Arsenal and five more than Liverpool.

"They are the real deal," Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said. "When you listen to the manager speak, and he said it at the start of the season in his job interview, he said this team can be really successful in the next two, three or four years because of the age profile of the squad.

"They've got some great attacking players, they're brilliant in the centre of the field. And they are in a title challenge, there's no doubt about that."

Everton, boosted by the completion of a takeover by the Texas-based Friedkin Group on Thursday, won the corresponding fixture last season as Pochettino struggled for identity.

When they met at Stamford Bridge four months later, progress under the Argentine was startlingly evident as Chelsea won 6-0.

Should Chelsea win a sixth successive league game and go top, the pressure will ratchet up on Liverpool.

SENSATIONAL START

Like Maresca, Arne Slot has enjoyed a sensational start as Liverpool manager, winning 16 of his opening 20 games in all competitions and losing once.

But successive Premier League draws against Newcastle United and Fulham have allowed Chelsea to close the gap, although Liverpool do still have a game in hand.

Slot's side face a wildly unpredictable Spurs side who lost 4-3 at home to Chelsea in their last home league game, after leading 2-0, but thumped Southampton 5-0 away last weekend.

Arsenal were supposed to be London's most likely title challengers but only three wins from their last nine league games has seen them fall six points behind Liverpool.

They travel across the capital to face Crystal Palace on Saturday knowing a big haul of festive points will be essential if they are not to fall too far behind.

Incredibly, champions Manchester City no longer appear to be in the title conversation after a calamitous run of form has seen them lose eight games in the last 11 in all competitions.

Last weekend's gut-wrenching 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United left Pep Guardiola's side in fifth place, nine points behind Liverpool having played a game more, and their fragile confidence will be tested at Aston Villa on Saturday.