Arsenal: Petr Cech labels Chelsea Premier League title favourites despite poor start

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Chelsea are still the Premier League title favourites despite their abysmal start to the 2015/16 campaign. The Blues are currently in the 16<sup>th place with eight points from as many games, and are already 10 points behind league leaders Manchester City.

The Czech Republic international joined the Gunners this summer after spending a successful decade at Stamford Bridge, where he won three Premier League titles and the Champions League, and has immediately made an impact at his new club keeping four clean sheets in the league and making some crucial saves, especially in the recent 3-0 win over Manchester United.

"Their form surprises me because Chelsea are among the best in the Premier League," Cech is quoted as saying by the Independent. I am no longer there, so it is hard for me to evaluate what is going on. Anyway, the season is long and Chelsea are still favourites in my eyes," the former Blues stopper added.

Focusing on his new club, the Czech stopper is confident that the north London club have the squad capable enough to challenge for the league this season. Arsenal are currently in the second place, two points behind the Etihad Stadium outfit.

"After the first defeat for us against West Ham, everyone said that we can never win anything big. Now we are again being compared to the most famous Arsenal, who didn't lose during one season. I just know that we have a team that can fight for the title until last round."

Cech, meanwhile, has also admitted slight disappointment at being overlooked by Arsene Wenger in the Champions League. The Frenchman has opted to start David Ospina in both their Champions League group stage games thus far, which the Gunners have lost leaving their hopes of making it to the knockout stages in real doubt.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper understands that he cannot play all the games, but is keen to play to a part in the elite European competition, and it is likely that he will get the nod ahead of the Colombian for Bayern Munich's visit to the Emirates Stadium on 21 October.

"Twice Arsene Wenger has decided that David Ospina plays in the Champions League over me and I have to respect that," he said. "In such a big team and in such a long season it is not possible for a man to play all the time, though I obviously wanted to," Cech concluded.