Arsenal boss Arteta says Chelsea 'deserve' to be considered title rivals

London: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says second placed Chelsea fully deserve to be considered Premier League title contenders as he prepares his te...

London: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says second-placed Chelsea "fully deserve" to be considered Premier League title contenders as he prepares his team for Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge.

Arteta's men are currently six points clear of the second-placed Blues after 12 games of the season.

They are in buoyant mood after a 4-1 win over arch-rivals Tottenham was followed by a 3-1 defeat of German giants Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Chelsea's tails are also up following three straight league wins and a thumping 3-0 victory over Barcelona on Tuesday.

Despite their fine form, Enzo Maresca's youthful Chelsea side are still considered outsiders to win the Premier League title.