Former Liverpool star Jamie Redknapp has told Chelsea supporters not to expect too much from their darling team next season.
He said that the Blues are still a long way off challenging for the Premier League title next season, insisting it could take a few years for them to be in a position to win the league again.
The Blues, defeated by the Citizens on Sunday, have not made any significant progress despite spending almost £600 million on new signings over the past 12 months.
They are currently 12th in the Premier League, 45 points behind Manchester City, and 26 points outside the top four.
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to take up the role of permanent manager at Stamford Bridge and is expected to turn the tide and lead to the kind of success that saw the club win five league titles under Roman Abramovich.
But Redknapp does not see that happening, at least not so soon.
Asked if he believed Chelsea could compete with Manchester City next season, Redknapp told Sky Sports: “No, not next season. I think they will be a long way off. It’s going to take a few years for Chelsea to get in that position again. I don’t see who can compete with Man City right now.”