Can anyone catch Liverpool, or will the mop-tops top the charts in May?
It’s looking good for the Reds. Defeating City on Sunday means Chelsea and Leicester are now in a three-way battle to narrow the gap.
Chelsea’s 2 nil victory over Palace was their sixth win on the spin - the last team to beat the Blues in the league was Liverpool.
With the exception of the first Premier League match after the international break (away to Man City), another potentially winnable streak looms for the Blues.
Meanwhile Leicester have Brighton, Everton, Watford, Villa and Norwich in their immediate sights.
Frank Lampard is doing a remarkable job, and you have to pinch yourself to recall it’s only his second year in management. The Chelsea board’s gamble is paying off.
Yet while the gaffer can barely conceal his slightly disbelieving grin, issues do need addressing if the Blues are to genuinely challenge for the title.
Creativity is sometimes in short supply. Yes, the team can pass well and keep possession, but who is providing the spark once supplied by Eden Hazard?
Willian created most against the Eagles, but the puppy-like eagerness of Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi sometimes clouds their judgement and turns promising attacks into rushed half-chances.
Maybe Leicester, City and Chelsea need to watch replays of Liverpool’s current methods to work out how to thwart the Scousers.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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