Arne Slot has admitted he expected a tighter Premier League title race, with Liverpool holding a commanding 15-point lead over their closest competitor.
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By the time they sealed the title, Slot’s team had suffered just two defeats in the league, accumulating an impressive 82 points from 35 matches.
However, their reign as champions began on a disappointing note as Chelsea handed them a 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Following the loss, Slot praised Enzo Maresca’s side and revealed he had anticipated Chelsea would emerge as serious contenders after their meeting in October.
Liverpool edged out Chelsea 2-1 in that encounter, but Slot admitted his squad had been second-best on the day, leading him to believe the Blues were genuine title threats.
Chelsea had been one of England’s standout teams in the first half of the season but have since dropped to fifth place—now trailing Liverpool by 19 points—following a significant decline in form.
However, they have recently found momentum, securing three consecutive victories after their win against Liverpool, as they push to finish in the Premier League’s top five and secure Champions League qualification for next season.
Asked whether he expects Chelsea to rival Liverpool for the title next campaign, Slot said: ‘I expected them to be a threat this season.
‘They were better than us at Anfield, they were so close to us. So it was a complete surprise to me that we are now 18 points clear of them, I didn’t feel that at all when we played them.
‘But it tells you probably how well we did if a team like this, with so much quality in the squad, we can go clear of them. It is a big compliment for our players. Chelsea have so many quality players.’
Liverpool were second-best for the majority of Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge, with Cole Palmer vital in Chelsea’s crucial win.
Slot added: ‘They were a constant threat on the counter-attack, but they have a very good team. Well organised and so many great individuals.
‘It will always be a difficult game to play here, but for us to play the way we did tells me also why we won the league, but it also tells me if you have a small drop off in the final third you can concede or not score.
‘A wise man once said to me ‘nothing good comes from losing a football game’ and that’s how we experience it.
‘Yes, we slipped twice with a goals conceded, but the amount of times we could play through Chelsea was much more than half a season ago.
‘In the final third we were not as aggressive and we missed a few percent to score the goal.’
Chelsea head coach Maresca, meanwhile, said: ‘Very important three points, especially at this stage in the season.
‘This team [Liverpool] showed why they are so good. They forced us to defend deep which we don’t like.
‘We planned the game to be aggressive, playing the way we want and they forced us to use a different plan. The players adapted quite well. For the amount of chances that we created, we deserved to win the game.
‘We didn’t plan to wait and defend deep but they forced us to do this and this showed why they won the Premier League because they are a top side.’
