After Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to rival Tottenham Hotspur, just their second in the last 14 matches against the fellow London outfit, Blues defender David Luiz extolled the virtues of the English Premier League.
Luiz, re-acquired from French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain in a summer transfer deadline day stunner, says the British top flight is the strongest in the entire world.
“That’s the Premier League, it’s difficult every day,” Luiz said at White Hart Lane.
“We came up against a good side that played very well. We need to understand in which league we’re playing, it’s the most difficult league in the world.”
“We need to take this with maturity. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. We won 13 games in a row, we lost tonight, but we’re still in there for the title.”
David Luiz realizes that the Blues are truly in a dogfight now to win the league, having just seen their 13 game winning streak ended; just one victory shy of tying Arsenal’s 2001-02 league record. His teammate Diego Costa believes that the top six teams in the league have a chance of winning the title (more on that here).
Chelsea are currently on top of the table, with second place Liverpool just five points behind. Tottenham and Manchester City are only two points behind the Reds, with fifth place Arsenal one point behind those two London clubs and sixth place Manchester United two points behind the Gunners.
United, winners of six in a row and undefeated in their last 11, are now 10 points behind the Blues, and this standing illustrates the difference between the top six, and the other 14 teams in the league.
The EPL has seen a different champion each of the past four seasons, and hasn’t had a repeat winner since 2009. It’s a stark contrast from Italy, Germany, Spain or France (ruled by PSG, Luiz’s former team) which are entirely more predictable and thus, less entertaining.
David Luiz and the rest of his mates will next take on Peterborough in the FA Cup Third Round on Sunday, followed by defending champs Leicester City on Saturday the 14th.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud