Former Manchester City and Arsenal defender Gael Clichy says that “anything other than winning the title would be a failure” for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side sit second in the table after 15 games, four points behind leaders Liverpool.

On this week’s Planet Premier League podcast, three-time title winner Clichy insisted the Blues must at the very least be considered contenders, given the vast sums of money that they have spent.

“Now they are second and the questions are starting: ‘Are you a title contender?’,” Clichy said, “and I’ve seen the coach saying: ‘We’re not there yet’. Well, my friend, if you’re not there after £1 billion spent over the past two years, nobody is a title contender.

“Your ambitions are just matched by the money you spend – and if you look at the money they’re spending, of course they have to win it. Anything other than winning the title would be a failure in my opinion.”

Listen to the full episode now on BBC Sounds