Why Liverpool and Man City should be careful of Chelsea – Jurgen Klopp sends clear warning message ahead of next season
On paper, the distance between Chelsea and their title-challenging opponents may appear wide, but it isn’t the case in reality. The Blues finished 18 points behind the Reds despite making fantastic progress toward catching up to Liverpool thanks to a spate of injuries and, of course, awful COVID-19-related illnesses.
Thomas Tuchel nevertheless managed to guide his squad to three championship games despite having a lackluster second half of the season. However, that does not fully convey the situation since they lost two of the three to Liverpool.
Even Jurgen Klopp concedes that his team struggled to defeat Chelsea in regular time despite playing well against them. In order to defeat the Blues on both occasions, penalties were necessary, which may prove problematic for the Reds. More importantly, it might give Chelsea supporters hope for a fruitful new campaign.
However, Speaking with ESPN FC, Klopp makes it clear that Chelsea could, in fact, be right up there challenging with Liverpool and Manchester City.
“When we played Chelsea, we didn’t win one game. And that’s not because we were bad that day. No, we were really good in those games. In the end, with the penalty shootout, we could win it, but in 90 minutes, we didn’t. So that shows you Chelsea are incredibly strong.”
Chelsea are currently in a unique position where they are undergoing a rebuild at a time that couldn’t be more convenient. They have a new owner who is thirsty for trophies and a winning, sustainable structure for the club. They have a manager that has turned water into wine with the crop of players that he has inherited. And to be fair, they actually have a pretty decent side currently.
However, If Tuchel plays his cards right, Chelsea could make a much longer claim to the title in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. Last season they gave Klopp and his men a run for their money. Now with the right resources, it’s time to up the ante.