CHELSEA need to buy a goalscoring striker to give themselves a realistic chance of winning the Premier League title.
That is the verdict of Sky Sports pundit and former Arsenal forward Charlie Nicholas.
Chelsea have had a fine start to the season under new head coach Maurizio Sarri.
The Blues are level on points with Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the table after eight games.
Chelsea, like City and Liverpool, are unbeaten in the league and have surprised many with the quality of their performances.
But Nicholas believes they rely too much on the goals of Eden Hazard and need a striker chipping in with his share as well.
Hazard is the leading scorer in the league with seven goals from eight games.
Olivier Giroud has been the preferred central striker most often this season but is yet to find the net in his eight appearances.
The much-maligned Alvaro Morata has scored three goals, including one in his last two outings, but has not started in the league since the beginning of September.
And Nicholas says the strike duo are not enough to land the Blues their sixth Premier League title.
“Chelsea need a goalscorer,” Nicholas said.
“Morata and Giroud don’t look like the types to score 20-plus goals so they need someone to pick up the slack when Hazard’s goals dry up when he’s being blocked off every week by the opposition.
“The defence is also a question mark.
“If Chelsea beat United then I may just be able to say they’re in the title race, but there’s a few too many question marks for me.”
Manchester United are next up for Chelsea on Saturday at Stamford Bridge (12.30pm).
Jose Mourinho visits his former club with United eighth in the table, having already lost three games this term.
The Portuguese remains the favourite with the bookies to be the next Premier League manager to lose his job.