‘Too soon’ – Emmanuel Petit rules one team out of Premier League title race

Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has already ruled one team out of this season’s Premier League title race.

Defending champions Arsenal made a strong start to the season with comfortable victories over Coventry and Aston Villa in the opening fortnight of the season.

And Mikel Arteta’s side laid down a further marker last weekend by coming from behind to beat London rivals Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners currently sit second in the table behind Manchester City, who have made an equally encouraging start to life under Enzo Maresca.

Despite losing several key players over the summer, City have won each of their opening three games, with new signings Enzo Fernandez and Iliman Ndiaye making their debuts against Coventry City to add further depth to Maresca’s squad.

Chelsea, meanwhile, sit fourth after their defeat to Arsenal, Xabi Alonso’s first loss in a competitive match since arriving at Stamford Bridge.

The west London club have once again spent lavishly over the summer, with Morgan Rogers the marquee capture for a British-record transfer fee.

But the Blues also added experience throughout the spine of their team, with the late signing of Emiliano Martinez a clear upgrade on previous first-choice Robert Sanchez.

With no European football this season, Petit believes his former club should be aiming for at least a top-four finish this time around.

But the Frenchman believes it is too early to consider Chelsea as genuine title contenders in what is ultimately Alonso’s first season as a manager in the English top-flight.

‘I’m optimistic, as I said, for many reasons, but I believe in Alonso, and I really believe with the feeling of revenge from the players,’ Petit told talkSPORT.

‘I think so many players in the team last season were disappointed, and I expect something good this season. They owe something to the fans, to the club, but to themselves too.

‘I think they failed last season on so many points, but first of all, I think the commitment was not there.’

Petit continued: ‘For me, it would be a failure if Chelsea don’t reach the Champions League spot at the end of the season. I think this is the minimum they can do.

‘As I said, I think Arsenal will win back-to-back Premier Leagues. As I said again, Chelsea will fight until the end for the title, but I think it’s probably too soon this season for Chelsea to be a real contender until the end.

‘But I believe that the fact they don’t play European competition, the fact for all the reasons I’ve said before, I really believe that Chelsea can do something this season.’

Not everyone is willing to give up on Chelsea’s title hopes, though, with Alan Shearer confident Chelsea can rival Arsenal for the title despite their defeat to the Gunners on Sunday.

Asked who he sees as Arsenal’s biggest rivals for the Premier League title, Shearer told The Rest Is Football podcast: ‘Chelsea and Man City. I’d probably go with Man City.

‘Manchester United are not good enough defensively to be anywhere near challenging the teams we’ve already mentioned.’

Chelsea will look to get back to winning ways in the league on Saturday when they take on Hull, who are unbeaten in their first three games back in the top-flight.

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