Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has backed Chelsea's claims on the Barclays Premier League title this season.
The 48-year-old will do his best to dent the Blues' start to the new season at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night, but is confident Carlo Ancelotti's men will run his former club Manchester United close this time around.
"If anybody finishes above Chelsea, in my opinion, they will win the league," he said. "That's what I strongly believe. They are the ones to beat, as normal, they are the big threat to the champions now."
He added: "Of course, we see Liverpool and we will see the emergence of Manchester City, probably, but in my opinion still when I look at them - and I have just watched the video for the third time - they have still got that air of a great team, and they are the ones to beat."
That video was of Chelsea's last-gasp 2-1 opening day win over Hull on Saturday, a game in which they were pushed all the way by Phil Brown's side.
Indeed, it took an injury-time strike from Didier Drogba to snatch all three points as the Tigers were denied tangible reward for a committed display.
However, Bruce insists that came as no surprise to anyone.
He said: "It took them until the last minute to beat Hull, but I have just seen the stats there - they had 26 attempts on goal.
"You know when you are playing Chelsea or you are playing Manchester United or the top teams, that they have got people who can hurt you and they go right to the wire.
"Chelsea always go to the wire - it's something they have maintained over the last few years that makes them a great team."
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chelsea is definitely the team to beat this season bruce was right,sunderland ust got a taste of what it means to piss chelsea off...we come back with all we 've got and no team can really take the heat that chelsea packs....this is our season,premier league ,champions league,fa cup,carling cup we are packing it up this season...chelsea for LIFE
Thankyou Chelsea for beating the mackem scum......................!
SUNDERLAND TO WIN 3 V 2 M A N U T D ARE S H I T AND CHELSEA ARE S H I T
LIVERPOOL
SUNDERLAND TO WIN 3 V 2 M A N U T D ARE S H I T AND CHELSEA ARE S H I T
LIVERPOOL
SUNDERLAND TO WIN 3 V 2 M A N U T D ARE S H I T AND CHELSEA ARE S H I T
LIVERPOOL
SUNDERLAND TO WIN 3 V 2 M A N U T D ARE S H I T AND CHELSEA ARE S H I T
LIVERPOOL
league forecast after the first game of the season? Pace yourself Brucey and focus more on your Sunderland
I agree with apreardon, (comment 13). Chelsea do have a lot more depth in comparison to any other team. Chelsea are gonna run rings round the other 19 teams this year!!! And their gonna continue tonight against Sunderland.
Chelsea 3-0 Sunderland
Lampard (pen)
Drogba
Malouda
hi i like how chelsea play this time
we aint won anything yet lets just keep opur heads down and nose's clean then maybe just maybe we will wi some significant silverware !come on you blues
chelsea are coming !!! park the bus .
sunderland - chelsea 1-0 jones to score
I couldnt agree more with "yip"! Chelsea put so much pressure on Hull, especially in the final third that it was no wonder they scored! The whole match, Hull had at least 8 or 9 of their men behind the ball, hoping to create a human barrier between Chelsea and Myhill's goal. And yet still Chelsea had 26 chances, of which 3 or 4 should have been converted. No matter who Chelsea are playing, be it in the Premier League, the FA Cup or the Champions League, that sort of pressure would make even the best side crumble. Thier ability to grind out results is truely incredible. And one other reason i believe Chelsea will win this years title is the depth they have. Looking at United's pre-season and thier opening game, they look like a broken team without thier precious Ronaldo. Same with Liverpool, they rely on Gerrard and Torres too much, without them or even one of the pair, they are nothing. And as for Arsenal, thier lack of consistency and thier reliance on players like Nasri, Fabragas and van Persie are weaknesses that will ensure they wont win the title. Whereas Chelsea have fantastic depth. Like every team they have their star players, like Lampard and Drogba to score those crucial goals but we have loads of other world class players. We currently have 8 players all fighting for the 4 available spots in midfield as well as six strikers and a rock solid defence, not to mention the EPL's best keeper, Petr Cech. So that is why i believe Chelsea have the title in the bag! Well said Steve Bruce!!!
up blues this is our time chelsea 2-0 sunderland...................
well said. Pepole will read far too much into the opening games by just the scoreline. Chelsea played well and created a lot. Lampard got the ball stuck under his feet quite a bit and Anelka had a pretty poor game so imagine if thaey things hadnt happened and Joe Cole was back and Essien started in the middle from the start and Drogba hadnt missed a 1st minute sitter.
Bruce is probably playing Cicero, telling Chelsea what they want to hear and going right back to bite 'em in the @#$%. 2-1. Sunderland
chelsea 10000000000000000000000000000 - 0
drogba socre all the goals
Chelsea is gonna go all the way to the top this season, believe it or not.......
I agree with Bruce, a win would be great but with Malbranque out and Richardson struggling I'll take a draw now (4-4!!)
sunderland1-0 chelski
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