Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has suggested Liverpool could be title rivals this coming season.
The two sides, who are gearing up to play each other in pre-season, are both hoping to break back into the top four at the very least.
In many circles, that’s where Liverpool’s aspirations are expected to end, but Conte clearly sees them as a real threat.
The Italian has only been in charge at Stamford Bridge for a fortnight, but he highlighted the work that has been done at Anfield in the nine months since Jurgen Klopp took over.
“Liverpool are one of seven or eight teams that can fight at the end to win the title. I’m sure of this. Liverpool have a good team, good manager, good football, high intensity, good organisation,” he said, as per the Daily Mail.
“Jurgen Klopp worked already for nine months with this team and it’s very important for him and Liverpool to understand each other.”
The eight teams Conte is presumably referring to would be: Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Man United, Man City, last season’s champions Leicester, and then perhaps one of either West Ham or Everton.
Either way, he must be aware that he is walking into one of the most toughly-contested leagues in the world, and he is right to take nothing for granted.
Chelsea are no strangers to silverware, but if they do manage to win the league amidst such fierce competition, it will be one of their most impressive titles to date.
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