Three reasons why Chelsea are genuine title contenders this season

There were plenty of causes for concern surrounding Chelsea heading into the recently kicked-off 2026/27 season.

Last season saw the club run through three different managers as Enzo Maresca’s reign came to a bitter end, Liam Rosenior embarked upon an embarrassing tenure, and assistant coach Calum McFarlane was twice called upon for interim managerial duties. The Blues slumped to tenth place in the table, and with questions surrounding the future of star midfielder Enzo Fernandez, there was a lot that looked worrying.

However, the ship has seemingly been steadied somewhat, and excitement has returned to Stamford Bridge. Former all-conquering Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso was appointed as manager, and he was immediately armed with £330m worth of new additions, headlined by the club record £117m move for Aston Villa star and England international Morgan Rogers. And since the campaign officially got underway, the west London outfit has gone from strength to strength.

Chelsea’s impressive start to life under Alonso

Chelsea picked up an exhilarating 3-2 win away at neighbors Fulham in their opening game, with the menacing newly assembled Joao Pedro-Cole Palmer-Morgan Rogers strike force all getting themselves onto the scoresheet. The Blues would then win another thriller in a 4-3 home triumph against Brighton at the Bridge, with Pedro and Palmer finding the back of the net once again. A 2-1 defeat away at defending champions Arsenal would ultimately temper expectations somewhat, but Alonso’s side would bounce back in perfect fashion as they put six past Leeds in the EFL Cup, rallying from 2-0 down to ultimately triumph 6-3.

In pre-season, online betting sites made Chelsea a lengthy 16/1 outsider to win the Premier League this season. Since then, the popular Lucky Rebel Sportsbook has slashed those odds down to just 9/1, and they had dropped as short as 8/1 prior to the 2-1 defeat at the Emirates. So, can they do it? Well, here are three reasons why we think they can.

THAT front three

A menacing attacking trio has often been enough to secure a Premier League title. Manchester United’s attacking axis of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Carlos Tevez took the league by storm between 2007 and 2009, claiming back-to-back Premier League titles. Liverpool’s fearsome front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino were enough to propel the Reds to a first league title in 30 years back in 2020. And this season, Chelsea have arguably the most devastating attacking trident in the Premier League.

That trio is, of course, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and new record signing Morgan Rogers; they have already been in devastating form throughout the opening weeks of the campaign. The three of them have combined to deliver eight goals and seven assists in just four games so far this season, and plenty more are expected as the campaign progresses.

There were plenty of concerns as to how the three of them would combine together when the Blues beat Arsenal to the signature of Rogers. Pedro and Palmer struggled to click last term as the Brazilian regularly dropped deep into space usually open for Palmer to exploit, unlike his predecessor Nicholas Jackson, who preferred to run in behind and create space rather than occupy it. Then, with space already at a premium, Rogers arrived, a man who plays in very similar positions to Palmer, albeit on the opposite flank.

However, any questions surrounding the three of them have already been answered in resounding fashion. Now, the question is just how far the trio can lead Chelsea this term and whether they can keep scoring the goals required to continually win games while the defense behind them ships chances at an alarming rate.

A wide-open chasing pack

Across the last six years or so, a combination of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal have battled it out for the title, with the three of them going head-to-head in an epic three-way fight back in 2024. Now, however, things look a lot different at the summit.

The Gunners are the defending champions, and admittedly, they are the overwhelming favorites to retain their crown. They have looked imperious throughout the opening weeks of the campaign, winning all four of the games they’ve played, including a 2-1 triumph against Chelsea at the Emirates and a 1-0 win away at a hostile Napoli in the Champions League. But outside of Mikel Arteta’s men, the Premier League is wide open.

City lost iconic manager Pep Guardiola in the summer, as well as talismanic midfielder Rodri. Liverpool suffered a similar fate as 2025 title-winning manager Arne Slot and prolific hitman Mohamed Salah both departed Anfield after a disastrous title defense last term. Add to that the fact that usual heavyweights such as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have already lost in tame fashion this season, and the door is certainly ajar for Chelsea to force their way through.

No European football

There’s no denying that last season’s tenth-place finish was an unmitigated disaster, and the result of it is that Chelsea won’t feature in any European competition of any kind this season. Not the Champions League. Not the Europa League. Not the Conference League. But could that be a blessing rather than a curse?

With the Blues set to play just once a week for most of the season, barring the EFL Cup, which comes to an end in February, Alonso’s main men will be fresh to attack the Premier League with everything they’ve got, as opposed to splitting their energy across domestic and European responsibilities.

Back in 2016/17, that freshness was crucial as Antonio Conte led the club to the title in dominant fashion. Will the current Spanish man at the helm be able to take full advantage as well, a decade on from the club’s last Premier League title?