Paul Merson agrees with Jamie Carragher that Chelsea's European commitments could help them in the Premier League title race.

Enzo Maresca’s side has emerged as Liverpool’s closest challenger, narrowing the gap to just two points with a win over Brentford. Arne Slot’s men still hold a game in hand, but their lead has been significantly reduced following consecutive draws against Newcastle and Fulham.

The Reds will be looking to get back to winning ways as they take on Tottenham while Chelsea, which has won its last five consecutive games to reduce Liverpool's lead, will travel to Goodison Park to face Everton.

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Although Chelsea, like Liverpool, must navigate European football, the Conference League offers Maresca a chance to rest key players who have been left out of the first initial squad.

Merson made the correct point that Chelsea has a completely different team that plays in Europe. Speaking to Football 365, he says: “The thing with Chelsea is they’ve got no distraction.

"They’re not in Europe, they’ve got another team for European football, Cole Palmer, none of them play. They’ve got no two-legged Carabao Cup games in January and February. Chelsea are in this 100 per cent. But Arsenal are probably 13 percent and Chelsea five [percent] because they haven’t been in this position.”

Of course, there is chance that Maresca may include the likes of Palmer in the Conference League squad as his side progress in the competition.

Carragher had the same sentiment on Monday Night Football saying: "“I know Liverpool didn’t win the league, but if you remember the season under Brendan Rodgers when Liverpool came really close - they came from nowhere, no one expected it, but they didn’t have European football.

“I know Chelsea do, but they can put the second team out and probably still win that competition, so in some ways they haven’t got European football for the starting XI. That is something that definitely puts them right in the race.”