Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley has issued a stern warning to his old club ahead of their crucial Premier League clash with Arsenal this weekend.
Burley cautioned the Blues that the Gunners pose a significantly different challenge compared to the Barcelona side they recently defeated 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League.
That European victory at Stamford Bridge—secured by an own goal from Jules Koundé and strikes from Estevão Willian and Liam Delap—should not breed false confidence.
“Believe it or not, but a much better version of Chelsea will need to turn up [against Arsenal],” Burley told ESPN. “Arsenal aren’t going to play like Barcelona did tonight.
In some sense, that is the acid test for Chelsea rather than the Barcelona game.”The pundit stressed that a strong performance against the title-contending Gunners would be a major statement.
“If they do something similar to Arsenal, then that’s a huge statement because Arsenal are clear favourites to go on and win this Premier League,” he added.
“The statement for Chelsea has to be the weekend because Arsenal is a different ball game.”