Cesar Azpilicueta calls for collective belief in title pursuit

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has insisted that "there is still a possibility" his side can claw back the deficit on Premier League pacesetters Manchester City.

The Blues beat Southampton on Saturday to temporarily reduce the gap to 11 points, before the Citizens brushed aside Tottenham Hotspur to reopen a commanding lead.

Azpilicueta is refusing to give up hope just yet, however, having seen rivals City catch Manchester United when trailing by eight points in the final weeks of the 2011-12 campaign, two years before another late surge saw them snatch the title from Liverpool's clutches.

"There is a possibility we can do it," he told reporters. "We have to believe. When we were top of the table last season, you could feel that other teams kept winning and pushing us.

"It is true that what City are doing is ­unbelievable. They are breaking records - in our last 10 games, we have won eight, drawn one and lost one, yet we are further ­behind than before those 10 games started!

"It is difficult to analyse it in that way. We have to look at ourselves, keep going, and put the pressure on them."

Chelsea, currently three points worse off than Man United in second, return to action in midweek with an EFL Cup home tie against Bournemouth.