Arne Slot shares what surprised him about Chelsea after 0-0 draw at Everton

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Arne Slot and Liverpool are all that stands between Chelsea topping the Premier League.

The Dutchman has done a remarkable job so far after replacing Jurgen Klopp – guiding Liverpool to 12 wins and three draws from 16 Premier League outings to put his side four points ahead of the Blues heading into Christmas Day.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	16	12	3	1	37	16	21	39
2	ChelseaChelsea	17	10	5	2	37	19	18	35
3	ArsenalArsenal	17	9	6	2	34	16	18	33

Slot has been quite complimentary of Enzo Maresca and Chelsea this season, stating that the Blues were actually the better side in that 2-1 defeat at Anfield in October.

The man from Bergentheim once again spoke about Chelsea after watching his Liverpool side dismantle Tottenham by a 6-3 scoreline on Sunday, sharing what surprised him about the Blues following the 0-0 draw against Everton.

Arne Slot did not expect Chelsea to drop points

Speaking from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, Slot said (via Liverpool): “That’s the Premier League. I didn’t expect Chelsea to drop points today… that’s what makes this league so special. That’s why people want to see it and that’s why we play at Christmas time.”

Chelsea were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after Jordan Pickford committed a reckless lunge on Malo Gusto at Goodison Park – while Nicolas Jackson also ought to have scored at least once, hitting the post from close range as well as firing a great chance straight at the Everton glovesman.

In total, Maresca saw his side record 75% of possession, take 12 shots and complete 642 passes compared to just 209 from Everton, although it was not enough to secure three points.

It just goes to show how fine the margins are in a Premier League title race, with Chelsea hardly performing poorly at Goodison Park, but still seeing Liverpool move further ahead on Sunday.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures compared to Liverpool

There are no easy games in the Premier League – although on paper at least, Maresca will be looking at the next five fixtures sensing an opportunity to ramp up the pressure on Liverpool.

As you can see, Chelsea face three sides who are all currently in the bottom five right now across the next five games.

Bournemouth and Fulham – who sit fifth and ninth respectively – pose the biggest threats, although both of those encounters take place at Stamford Bridge, giving Chelsea home advantage.

In contrast, Liverpool host Manchester United, while also embarking on potential banana skins away to Nottingham Forest – the only side to beat the Reds this season – and at Brentford.

Therefore, Maresca could close that current four-point gap, although another stalemate like the one at Goodison Park surely cannot happen with Liverpool in such ruthless form.