Virgil van Dijk has insisted that Chelsea are title challengers as he said that leaders Liverpool are not ignoring the threat from the in-form Blues.
Chelsea have won their last four league matches and closed the gap to Liverpool to four points with their 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday.
Manager Enzo Maresca has spent all season claiming they are not in the title race but Liverpool captain Van Dijk believes they are, as he referenced the talent in the ranks at Stamford Bridge and the depth of their expensive squad.
None of Chelsea’s next seven games are against the current top seven and Van Dijk expects them to sustain their title tilt.
“I don’t think they are under the radar,” he said. “Obviously with the squad they have and the players they have. The players that can come off the bench. Obviously we can talk about inexperience maybe but they have the quality, they have the players to make it difficult for any team and that is what they have been doing so they are definitely up there. I think they have shown it.”
Liverpool are set for a top-eight finish in the Champions League group stages, which could give them two free midweeks in February, one before the clash with Manchester City.
And Van Dijk feels it could be an advantage, adding: “We will have a full week to prepare for the games and it will definitely help, particularly with the fixtures.”
