Chelsea may be unbeaten since the start of the season, but in the Premier League, the Blues are not alone in that regard. In fact, there are no fewer than three unbeaten teams, with Manchester City leading the pack on 29 points (9 wins, 2 draws) and both Chelsea and Liverpool following two points behind, with Sarri-ball holding the edge on goal difference over Klopp’s heavy metal, +19 to +16.
How long this can go on is anyone’s guess. Certainly, City look strong enough to stay unbeaten all season and become the second “Invincibles” after Arsenal a decade and a half ago. But Chelsea all-but-in-name-Captain, Cesar Azpilicueta believes Chelsea have just as good of a chance as well
“It’s in our hands. Obviously if we don’t drop points, we have the chance to [overtake City on December 8th]. We know that to get to that chance, you have to get the three points in games like we had against Crystal Palace. We cannot drop points, we need to work hard, keep improving and let’s see on that day, if we have the chance to do it.”
Before that match next month, Chelsea take on Everton, Spurs, Fulham, and Wolves, and will likely need maximum points to keep up the pace. As the old cliche goes, we’ll just have to take it one game at a time.
“We are happy with our results. We know that we can still do better and the League is very tough - you have to fight for every game. This table at the moment is something that we want - to be at the top at the end. We know that it’s going to be difficult, but we know how to win the Premier League and we will try.
“It’s up to us. Last season we finished 30 points behind Man City. The gap was massive, obviously we are closer this year. We are two points behind and it’s up to us to keep the rhythm.”
With Sunday’s win, Sarri has become the first Premier League manager since 1994 stay unbeaten in his first eleven matches in England’s top flight, matching the feat of Nottingham Forest’s Frank Clark.
11 - Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is unbeaten in his first 11 Premier League games (W8 D3 L0), equalling the longest unbeaten start by a Premier League manager set by Frank Clark in 1994 at Nottingham Forest. Nous. pic.twitter.com/VYIfX1Wi0z
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 4, 2018
Of course, Forest finished 12 points behind eventual champions Blackburn Rovers and the league has only gotten harder in the 24 years since. The gap between City and the rest of the top six may be closing — all while it expands in comparison to the rest of the league — but that sort of parity will only increase the level of difficulty in a league that hasn’t seen a repeat winner in a decade. (Manchester United last to repeat — three-peat, infact — in 2008-09.)
“Every year. It’s harder and harder to win the League so it’s up to us. Our only focus is to improve during the week, to improve in the games. That’s been our focus since Maurizio came. We are working on that.”
“Last season the run [City] had winning [so many] games in a row — no-one could get anywhere near them. It’s true we are closer, but we are in November. Obviously you want to be at the top but we know that in England, we have the Christmas period where we play a lot of games, you then start with the European games knockout stages [in February]. We will see how far we will go.”
-César Azpilicueta; source: Evening Standard
Our destiny is only in our own hands.