Chelsea need New Year lead if they are to take the Premier League title

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Published 22:58 01/11/09

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Chelsea are on fire at the moment and I think they must aim to go into the New Year with a big cushion at the top of the Premier League.

The league leaders notched another emphatic win when they triumphed 4-0 at Bolton.

And I think my bet for the title is looking pretty secure with Carlo Ancelotti’s side in such good form.

But they are going to lose the services of Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel in 2010 for the African Cup of Nations.

And with a likely FIFA transfer ban hanging over them as well, Chelsea may struggle in the New Year.

That is why I want to see the Stamford Bridge club capitalise on their good form now.

They are scoring goals for fun and are the antithesis of everything Liverpool are about right now.

Ancelotti makes sound tactical decisions and his personnel are performing at their very best.

They have good back-up to come in should players get injured or suspended.

But I still think Chelsea need to notch a lot of wins in the next half a dozen games to definitely go four to six points clear of Manchester United in what will surely be a two-horse title race.

Chelsea’s fixtures in the New Year are fairly kind but, with Manchester United breathing down their neck, they will need a bit of a cushion.

To have four players missing is going to be a massive ask for the likes Daniel Sturridge and Yuri Zhirkov to fill the gap.

I don’t see the FIFA judgement being overturned regarding the transfer embargo, so Chelsea need to keep winning and keep winning well.

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