Lennon writes off Chelsea and Liverpool title ambitions

CELTIC star Neil Lennon has written off Chelsea and Liverpool in this season's Premiership race.

Big-spending Chelsea illustrated just why they are many people's favourites to take the title with a comfortable 4-2 win against Celtic in Seattle on Saturday.

Liverpool bettered that with a 5-1 victory over the Glasgow giants at the Rentschler Field Stadium.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has spent almost £65million on new talent this summer and Liverpool have spent £14m on striker Djibril Cisse.

But Lennon is not convinced either team is in the same class as Arsenal and Manchester United.

Lennon said: "They're good sides but I wouldn't put them in Arsenal or Manchester United's class just yet. But with the calibre of players they are attracting they are going to be a force to be reckoned with. I don't think you can buy trophies and titles.

"Everyone said that [Kenny] Dalglish did it at Blackburn but you still have to go out and win it.

"It's getting the right players in the right positions. They have top-quality players in every position."

United gunned down Celtic 4-0 in America last summer before finishing third in the championship race - behind Chelsea and Arsenal.

"The pride was hurt," the midfielder continued. "Even though it was the first game of the season you don't like getting done over like that.

"I'm not trying to build the game up or anything but we have to do a lot better than we did last year.

"I'm not really used to that. We were 3-0 down at half-time, so it gutted us for about three weeks. So we want to rectify that and don't want a similar experience."

Lennon admits to being envious of the spending power of Chelsea, United and Liverpool but he believes that helps to galvanise him and the team.

"Sometimes you do feel a bit jealous but I've always played teams that are supposed to be the big boys and I don't mind the scrap. "It's a different psychology going into the games but the Champions League gives you a wee chip on your shoulder and an incentive to do well against them."

Lennon is confident that despite their failure to live with Chelsea in the transfer market they can reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

Manager Martin O'Neill has not spent any money over the summer.

"Chelsea have got two squads," said Lennon. "We were bringing on kids against them and they're bringing on stars like [Mateja] Kezman and people like that.

"You have to live with that but the nucleus of the team is still strong and if we can add a few quality players then we won't be far off them.

"We really want to make it to the Champions League this year and if the money's not there then we will have to get on with it and fight harder."