On a weekend where they didn’t even play, Liverpool gained some ground against two of their title rivals, Arsenal and Manchester City. In many ways, things couldn’t be going much better for Arne Slot’s team.

Things looked even better when Tottenham took a 2-0 lead within 11 minutes against their other biggest rivals, Chelsea, on Sunday. It looked like a potential classic Spurs win until Enzo Maresca regrouped his team at half-time, told them they were still in the game and then watched them score three goals in the second half to make it 4-3 won.

More importantly, it puts them four points ahead of the league leaders, who had to watch after Storm Darragh’s unwelcome appearance in the Merseyside derby on Saturday lunchtime.

Liverpool were still 45 minutes away from the perfect weekend, but instead Chelsea have a dangerous trio of momentum, the strongest attack in the Premier League and a favorable fixture list for the coming weeks.

Liverpool only have one free midweek until the end of January and that falls during the busy New Year period. Therefore, it is unlikely that they will be able to find a new date for the game against Everton in that time – meaning a four-point change would be enough for Chelsea to equalize their lead.

Enzo Maresca’s insistence that the Blues are out of contention may not last much longer given the title chasers’ strongest squad and now the division’s top scorer.

Of Chelsea’s next seven league games before their trip to the Etihad Stadium on January 25, only Crystal Palace finished last season in the top half of the Premier League and none are currently in the top seven this year.

The average position of their opponents during this time is 13.7, with Arsenal at 11.9 and Liverpool at 11.1 the highest. The Reds also face traditional Big Six rivals Tottenham and Man Utd during this time – although both currently sit in the bottom half of the league – as well as Nottingham Forest, who won at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The only three top half teams Chelsea face are: Brentford, Bournemouth And Fulham, All three travel to Stamford Bridge and each is an opponent the Blues are sure to beat on their day.

That would have to start, oddly enough, with a first-ever home win in the Premier League against the Bees this weekend, as Thomas Frank’s side have beaten them in all three games at Stamford Bridge since their promotion in 2021.

But this is a Chelsea side in the form they have lacked in recent years, while Brentford are yet to win away from home this season.

With a run of 12 goals in three games against Aston Villa, Southampton and now Spurs, the Blues are the division’s top scorers, four ahead of Frank’s Bees, who sit in an unlikely second place.

These goals were scored by seven different scorers throughout the week, with Maresca fully displaying the strength of his squad, with 21 different players featured in the 270 minutes of Premier League football.

Only Southampton, Man City and Ipswich have made more changes to their starting lineup this season, but Maresca’s side have not been affected in the same way as the trio given the strong options he has in reserve.

The Blues’ other four games are against each other Ipswich, Crystal Palace, Everton And Wolves – As things stand, all teams are within five points of the relegation zone.

Chelsea have not yet been beaten by any team in the bottom half and have a points-per-game record bettered only by their two title rivals, Arsenal and Liverpool, in games against teams outside the top 10.

Whether Chelsea’s points tally and form will be enough to retain the title for another 23 games remains to be seen in the new year, but Jamie Carragher believes they will lack the quality defensively to lift the Premier League trophy in May.

Overcoming their title challenge on Great SundayHe said: “It’s real because they’re there. The big advantage for them is not playing in the Champions League, so Maresca can change the whole team and it’s still a real team.”

“They have six or seven strikers who I guess you could say are first choice. Not being in the Carabao Cup could be important if Arsenal or Liverpool reach the final.”

“I look at the goalkeeper and two centre-backs, Benoit Badiashile, who played (against Tottenham) and I just can’t imagine someone winning the Premier League with that goalkeeper and no really outstanding centre-backs.”

“City won it with Ederson and Ruben Dias, Liverpool with Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, back to John Terry and Petr Cech. Those numbers that you think you need to win a title, I still think Chelsea are still falling a bit short in those areas.”

Chelsea’s next seven league games

• December 15th: Brentford (h)
• December 22nd: Everton (a)
• December 26th: Fulham (h)
• December 30th: Ipswich (a)
• January 4th: Crystal Palace (a)
• January 14th: Bournemouth (h)
• January 20th: Wolves (h) – Live on Sky Sports

Liverpool’s next seven league games

• December 14th: Fulham (h)
• December 22nd: Tottenham (a) – live on Sky Sports
• December 26th: Leicester (h)
• December 29th: West Ham (a) – live on Sky Sports
• January 5th: Man Utd (h) – live on Sky Sports
• January 14th: Nottm Forest (a)
• January 18th: Brentford (h)

Arsenal’s next seven league games

• December 14th: Everton (h)
• December 21st: Crystal Palace (a) – live on Sky Sports
• December 27th: Ipswich (h)
• January 1st: Brentford (a)
• January 5th: Brighton (a) – live on Sky Sports
• January 15th: Tottenham (h)
• January 18th: Aston Villa (h) – live on Sky Sports