Liverpool face new Premier League title intrigue as Chelsea concern grows

Liverpool face new Premier League title intrigue as Chelsea concern grows

Chelsea are the winners of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup and may now be considered favourites to dethrone Premier League champions Liverpool

United States President Donald Trump joins the celebrations as Chelsea lift the FIFA Club World Cup (Image: David Ramos/Getty Images )

Get your thinking caps on, folks. Because it's now time for a questionnaire.

Nothing too taxing, though. Instead, a two-part poser that merely requires a positive or negative response: did you watch the FIFA Club World Cup and, by winning the competition, have Chelsea now ensured they had a better season than Liverpool?

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The low television viewing figures, paltry online interest and predominantly collective media shrug in the United Kingdom suggest that for those who don't support the Londoners or the Premier League's other representative, Manchester City, the tournament has been a complete non-event.

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None of that will have come as a surprise. Unlike the regular World Cup, where entire countries unite and those whose preferences still lay with their clubs can follow the performances of the national teams of individual players, only fans of the clubs involved were particularly tracking proceedings.

It was also hampered by the obvious disparity between clubs during the opening stages. A true global tournament needs contenders from around the world, and FIFA were rightly insistent on every continent being represented. The problem there, of course, is that outside of Europe, South America and, to a growing extent, Saudi Arabia, the quality was lacking.

There were some horrible mismatches and fixtures for which not even free tickets could bolster the attendance. And the baking temperatures in the United States that disrupted several games and hampered performance gave several games an unrealistic sheen.

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So far, so expected. The real contention comes when considering the second part of the initial question.

Consider these comments from Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca after his team had surprisingly thumped Paris Saint-Germain - Liverpool's vanquishers in last season's Champions League - 3-0 in Sunday's final.

"The truth is one day I have the feeling that this competition is going to be as important, if not more important, than the Champions League," said Maresca.

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"This competition is one of the best in the world. We value it as the Champions League, if not more so, because it has really been a great triumph for us, and to allow the fans of Chelsea to have the chance for the next four years with this badge, the truth is that for us it is an honour."

In terms of finance, there's no doubt it has been a money-spinner for Chelsea, who earned £84million while City, who reached the last 16, took home £38m. And it has been noted both finalists, Chelsea and PSG, already possess effectively limited financial backing.

But prestigious the tournament was not. That, as Maresca states, may change over time. But it seems unlikely given the shortcomings previously mentioned.

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Throw in the UEFA Conference League - a competition that, let's be honest, a team of Chelsea's calibre should not have even been taking part in - and the Londoners have lifted two major trophies to Liverpool's sole Premier League triumph. Can Chelsea, then, claim a better campaign?

As for the badge mentioned by Maresca, easily forgotten is when Liverpool won the previous incarnation of the Club World Cup in 2019, they were allowed to wear the accolade for just one Premier League game and a handful of Champions League matches. When Chelsea won it in 2021, the rule was changed to allow them to wear it for a year, while Manchester City, winners in 2023, had it emblazoned on their shirts for almost 18 months.

Now, there will of course be those who state detractors of the tournament who follow clubs who didn't qualify are just being envious, gorging on sour grapes.

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But former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp spoke for many earlier in the summer when he declared: "It's all about the game and not the surrounding events - and that's why the Club World Cup is the worst idea ever implemented in football in this regard.

"People who have never had or do not have anything to do with day-to-day business anymore are coming up with something. There is insane money for participating, but it's also not for every club.

"Last year it was the Copa (America) and the European Championship, this year it's the Club World Cup, and next year the World Cup. That means no real recovery for the players involved, neither physically nor mentally."

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Carlo Ancelotti had aired similar sentiments last year before backtracking, presumably under pressure from Real Madrid. In any case, the Italian had been replaced by Xabi Alonso at the Bernabeu by the time the tournament started last month.

And this is how the competition will impact Liverpool and the remainder of the Premier League.

History suggests the momentum and confidence gained by Chelsea from their strong end to the last domestic campaign and their success in the United States means they will be expected to hit the ground running when the Premier League resumes next month.

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Maresca claimed midway through last season his team weren't ready for a Premier League title tilt. But they must now be regarded as serious contenders to dethrone Liverpool and, potentially, favourites to be their closest challenges. Having spent in excess of £1.5billion on players over the last five years, it's perhaps the least that should be demanded of Chelsea.

What nobody knows, though, is when they, and to a lesser extent City, will hit the wall after their exertions of a season that lasted 11 months. Then the depth of their enormous and young squad will be truly tested amid the long-standing concerns over player welfare.

It's worth remembering Liverpool were set to take part in the initial expanded Club World Cup in China in 2021 before it was scuppered by the coronavirus pandemic. Given the financial rewards make it almost impossible for a club to turn down an invitation, the Reds would have been the proverbial guinea pigs over the effects of such a relentless high-profile schedule.

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There's little chance of FIFA backtracking from the competition so, with money the chief motivation in much of today's game, everyone will have to adapt accordingly. The Club World Cup is here to stay.

Now will be the season of discovery. And Liverpool need to be ready for whatever is about to come. Their title defence has just become a whole lot more intriguing.

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