Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted that his side are not quite on the level of fellow title hopefuls Liverpool at this stage of the season.
The Blues dropped their first points of the campaign during a goalless draw with West Ham United earlier this afternoon, leaving Liverpool as the only team still boasting a 100% record after the opening six games of the season.
Sarri's side are still part of the leading pack in the table, but he believes that it will take as long as a year of playing together before his side can match Jurgen Klopp's.
"[Liverpool] are a step forward than us in this moment. We have started to work all together 35, 40 days ago," the Italian told Sky Sports News.
"So for us I think it's a bit early. We have to work. We need to improve and then maybe in one year we will be at the same level of Liverpool."
Chelsea will face Liverpool twice in the next seven days, first in the EFL Cup and then in the Premier League next weekend.