Gary Cahill says top four scrap will go down to the wire… but Chelsea are still targeting the title

Roar energy | Gary Cahill celebrates Willian’s equaliser against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend
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Simon Johnson29 November 2017

Gary Cahill believes the race for a top-four finish is tougher than ever and will not be decided until the final day of the season.

The Chelsea captain insists the Blues are still hoping to catch runaway leaders Manchester City, who have so far not lost a game and drawn just once.

But the defender is fully aware that just nine points separate Manchester United in second and Liverpool in sixth, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham in between.

Antonio Conte’s side are at home to Swansea tonight and Cahill says winning is not just crucial to their title chances but could also build a bigger gap to one of their challengers for a Champions League place.

He told Standard Sport: “It will be a scrap to get into the top four this season. When the season started, everyone was saying that there are six teams that can win the League.

“There are not going to be four teams that are going to run away with it. It will be tight all the way to the very end.

“That is one of the reasons why it is important to beat Swansea. But the main reason is to stay close to the top as much as we can. I don’t think we can keep looking behind us. We are not even at Christmas yet. The right thing and the most positive thing is to keep looking at the team at the front.

“We have two home games this week [they play Newcastle on Saturday] so it is an opportunity for us if we start with a win tonight. We can go into it with confidence off the back of our recent performances.”

City have won 11 straight matches in the top flight and are 11 points clear of Conte’s side. Many pundits are suggesting they can match Arsenal’s feat in 2003-04 of going the whole Premier League campaign unbeaten.

But Cahill feels Chelsea should not be written off.

He said: “Obviously there is a prize to finish in the top four but the biggest prize is to win the League, so we will keep trying for that. We have the experience of winning the title twice in the past three seasons. For as long as it’s possible, we will keep pushing.

“We have been there and done it. We remember as well that we were eight points behind Manchester City at one stage last season and bridged the gap.

“But I don’t feel it is just about us and City. The teams in the race for the top four are also still trying to put pressure on the leaders.”

In Pictures | Liverpool vs Chelsea | 25/11/2017

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Meanwhile, winger Eden Hazard says it is vital that Chelsea make the most of playing at Stamford Bridge over the next month. They have seven games in all competitions there, with five coming in the top flight.

He said: “When we are at home we must try and give everything. If we want to achieve something we have to win our games at Stamford Bridge.

“We have everything to do well, the players and fans. We have to be ready for this period because it is a tough one for us.

“It will be crucial, for sure. I don’t know whether we can catch Manchester City, because they are very good this season. We will see.

“We have already lost at home against Burnley and Manchester City, so we don’t want to concede a lot of points.

“We need to win every home game [to have a chance of catching Manchester City] and we will try to do that.”

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