Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has warned Chelsea that the Premier League title race will go right down to the wire once more this season.
The Citizens have closed the gap on the current leaders in recent weeks to just three points heading into the hectic festive fixtures.
Having lifted the title twice in the last three years on the final day of the campaign, Pellegrini is confident that his side can push the Blues all the way.
"We are not thinking about Chelsea, we are just thinking about our team," the Chilean is quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. "We know it is important to have our own pressure.
"You never win the title in December. We have a long five months to continue playing as well as we are doing so far, and we will see at the end of the season which team has most points.
"It is always hard to win [the title] the first time and the second time. Maybe when you already win one title, at the beginning of the season, especially after a World Cup, it is a bit difficult. After that, I think that is the same degree of difficulty one year as another."
City take on West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day, while Chelsea host West Ham United.
Daniel Lewis
