Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness is still not expecting Chelsea to compete for the Premier League title despite Frank Lampard side’s excellent recent run of form.

The Blues’ 4-1 win over Sheffield United last night means they have now picked up 12 points from their last six games since the defeat to Liverpool back in September but Souness still thinks they are untested at the back:

“I think they will still be short, behind City and Liverpool, and you look at the areas they may be not so strong in, they are hoping that [Thiago] Silva and [Edouard] Mendy are going to be the ‘difference’ but let’s see by early New Year if they are going to make such a difference against the bigger guys.”

Chelsea did put in a strong defensive showing in the 0-0 draw against Manchester United last month but it is true that the likes of Silva and Mendy have yet to be tested against the rest of the ‘big six.’

Lampard’s men face Spurs at home on the 29th November after the international break, while they also play Arsenal on Boxing day and Manchester City just after the turn of the year. As Souness says, it will be interesting to see how this team measures up against those sides.