Wenger predicts Chelsea title bid

ARSENE WENGER is convinced he was right to curtail his spending this summer — but he believes Chelsea’s £100 million outlay has automatically put them among the favourites for the Barclaycard Premiership title.

The Arsenal manager kept essentially same squad as last season when Gunners were second in the Premiership and won the FA Cup, a decision which is already paying handsome dividends with his side's best start to a season for 56 years.

Across London, Chelsea enjoyed a fine campaign last season, finishing fourth in the league and qualifying for the Champions League despite a frugal period in the transfer market.

Now, courtesy of new owner Roman Abramovich, there is more than £100million of new talent at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea have repaid that faith by claiming two wins and a draw, as well as reaching the Champions League proper.

The transfer window closed yesterday and for four months, manager Claudio Ranieri will have to make do with the galaxy of stars he already possesses.

And while the Italian cautions against expecting too much this season as his squad attempt to gel and adapt to life at Stamford Bridge, Wenger is more optimistic for the Blues' chances.

He said: "How can you spend £100million and still say you are not a main challenger?

"For me that is nonsense because Chelsea have to be considered as much of a threat as Manchester United or Liverpool on that basis.

"At Arsenal we won the Double in 1998 after buying five or six new players at the start of that season. So it is possible to win things by spending money on the right players.

"But there is also a benefit to be had from keeping the same squad.

"Apart from our new goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, we had the same players as last year and they are focussed and buzzing because they all had the frustrating experience of missing out on the championship.

"I'm sure that this has played a big part in our form so far this season. We have not had to make any changes and although we may have to change that when people come back from the international break, I am confident we still have enough quality there."