Chelsea on brink of seeing off Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool in title procession
Antonio Conte's side can make mockery of claims Premier League will be most fiercely contested ever this season
CHELSEA have the chance to turn the Premier League's most anticipated race for the title into a one-team procession over the next month.
Antonio Conte's side know victory at Sunderland tonight would leave them six points clear at the top of the table.
And the London club have a fixture schedule over the next few weeks that leave them with the very real prospect of being at least ten points clear of the field by early January.
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A season that promised so much with up to six teams scrapping it out for the Premier League is now in danger of disappearing up in smoke because of Chelsea's stunning form - and the failure of any of their rivals to keep the pace.
Arsenal had seemed the most likely to challenge but their defeat at Everton was a major blow, particularly with their next match being a trip to fourth-placed Manchester City.
Liverpool have taken only one point from their last two matches and have a defence that is shipping goals at an alarming rate.
While City have lost the last two matches, have a manager who is struggling to decide on his best formation and are without their star striker for the next two matches because of suspension.
Even further adrift are the inconsistent Tottenham, while Manchester United are showing real signs of finding their form but are surely already too far behind with a 13-point gap already existing.
So Chelsea will never have a better chance of stamping their authority on the division and running away with the title if they can just hold their nerve in the next few weeks.
After Sunderland, Conte's men travel to relegation threatened Crystal Palace before home games against Bournemouth and Stoke.
Having won nine on the bounce, there is every reason the Blues should feel confident of taking maximum points from these four games.
Arsenal have it all to do if they are to avoid slipping up at City this weekend, though with West Brom, Palace and Bournemouth to follow they do have winnable games.
Contrast that with City who are in woeful form as they approach a four game run that also sees them take in the Gunners and Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp's side not only have to see off City, they also have a Mersey derby at rivals Everton to contend with at a time when key player Philippe Coutinho is injured.
So Chelsea's rivals will all be busy taking points off each other while the Blues take on some of the supposed weaker sides in the division - the warning signs are there Conte and his team could be out of reach come mid January.
NEXT SEVEN MATCHES - WHO THE TITLE HOPEFULS FACE
CHELSEA
Sunderland (a)
Crystal Palace (a)
Bournemouth (h)
Stoke (h)
Tottenham (a)
Leicester (a)
Hull 9h)
ARSENAL
Man City (a)
West Brom (h)
Crystal Palace (h)
Bournemouth (a)
Swansea (a)
Burnley (h)
Watford (h)
LIVERPOOL
Middlesbrough (a)
Everton (a)
Stoke (h)
Man City (h)
Sunderland (a)
Man Utd (a)
Swansea (h)
MAN CITY
Watford (h)
Arsenal (h)
Hull (a)
Liverpool (a)
Burnley (h)
Everton (a)
Tottenham (h)
Arsenal also still have to visit City, Liverpool, Stamford Bridge and Tottenham in the second half of the season, while they will lose Mohamed Elneny for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Liverpool will also be hit by that tournament in January with influential forward Sadio Mane linking up with Senegal - Chelsea in contrast lose nobody.
And while the Gunners and City are then tasked with Champions League knock-out stages, Chelsea have a free run at the title.
Championships are not won on paper, but few can argue Chelsea will never have a better chance to seal the Premier League crown than the coming month.
