It’s fair to say that at this stage the title is Chelsea’s to lose.
The Blues sit five points clear of nearest rivals Liverpool even after a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham in their last outing.
Next up, Antonio Conte’s men travel to Leicester, hoping the Foxes are about to take the mantle of the worst Premier League title defence ever off them.
The leaders can inflict a big blow on former manager Claudio Ranieri when the two sides meet at the King Power, but their main focus will be on maintaining the gap at the summit.
According to club legend Joe Cole, who won the league three times during his spell at Stamford Bridge, it’s hard to see past Chelsea for the trophy – and it could all be over by April.
The former England international trained at Cobham over the Christmas period, and from what he saw, he was clearly convinced that his old team-mates are destined for more glory.
“The Premier League is designed, Chelsea have a big advantage because they are not playing in Europe,” he was quoted in the Sun.
“Conte has had a lot of time to work with the team and they look pretty solid.
“I think the most important thing is that Diego Costa is not injured. If so, they will be champions in April.”
Cole is certainly right that Costa will be key. The Spain international was kept in west London against his wishes in the summer, but he has since gone on to score 14 goals and establish himself as the top flight’s leading goalscorer.
If the striker does stay fit, Conte might well cruise to the title in his first season in English football, but if his main man suffers an injury, that could open up the title race again.
Check out Football Advisor for profitable betting predictions
