Alan Shearer makes Chelsea trophy prediction after dropping points in title race | Football

Alan Shearer is certain Chelsea will win a trophy this season – but it won’t be the Premier League title.

After a flying start to life under Enzo Maresca, there were some who claimed that Chelsea were firmly in the title race alongside Liverpool and Arsenal.

However, a shock last-minute defeat at home to Fulham on Boxing Day has dampened the mood, with the Blues now second in the table but seven points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand over their rivals.

Nevertheless, many have been impressed by the west Londoners who are outperforming expectations following several difficult seasons since Todd Boehly’s takeover.

The club’s last piece of silverware was the 2021 Club World Cup, but Premier League legend Shearer has backed them to end their trophy-drought this season as well as qualify for the Champions League.

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Asked if Chelsea were ‘ahead of the curve’, Shearer told Match of the Day: ‘Oh absolutely. I think when you look at where they are now, there’s no doubt they’ll have taken that.

‘I still think they’ll finish in the top four which would be a brilliant achievement for them and I think they’ll win the Conference League also.

‘All that being said, they’ll be really, really happy with the things that have happened at Stamford Bridge, without a doubt.’

Ever since it was confirmed that Chelsea would be playing in the Conference League this season, they’ve been the heavy favourite to win Europe’s third-tier competition.

They’ve cruised through the league phase, winning all six games by a combined score of 26-5, and will face one of Gent, FC Copenhagen, Real Betis or FC Heidenheim in their first knockout game.

The Blues will also begin their FA Cup campaign in the next few weeks, with their third-round clash against Morecambe on January 11.

For now, Maresca’s focus is on the Premier League clash at Ipswich Town on Monday, with the manager saying in his pre-match press conference: ‘Very important [to end 2024 on a high].

‘We are going to try to prepare the game in the way we try always – to win the game. We have a bad feeling about the game we just lost against Fulham and hopefully we can come back with three points after this game.’

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