Premier League: Chelsea should fear scorned Man City

Sergio Aguero scored 16 goals in 15 games before his injury

Man City came from behind to win two titles in the past three years, so Michael Lintorn thinks it is unwise to discount them...

"We're Man City - we fight to the end" isn't just an optimistic supporter cry, it is a chant inspired by the club's tendency to prevail after a struggle.

Nothing that they have achieved this decade was done the easy way - well, if you overlook the obvious assistance of having owners of great wealth!

Their 0-2 home defeat to Arsenal eight days on from being held 1-1 by Everton has allowed Chelsea to reclaim the title race initiative. Successive victories over Newcastle and Swansea have seen the Blues reassert a five-point lead, and they are now 1.251/4 to finish first to the champions' 6.611/2.

Applying further pressure to the Citizens is the fact that they travel to Stamford Bridge for their next Premier League fixture. Lose and they are eight points adrift with just 15 games to fix the damage. No wonder Manuel Pellegrini insisted that "we must close the gap to two points".

Chelsea have only ever suffered one home Premier League loss under Jose Mourinho, but Pellegrini knows that he can afford to be punchy because his team perform best in these daunting scenarios.

Their first Premier League title under Roberto Mancini in 2011/12 was delivered despite ceding the advantage that they possessed for most of the campaign to trail Man United by eight points with six matches remaining. They won the lot, including the derby, to pull off an implausible triumph.

Their second success in 2013/14 followed a similar trajectory to this current one too: they were eighth in November, had a brilliant December to appear to take control and then faded again.

A defeat to leaders Liverpool and home draw with Sunderland in mid-March left them six points off top with a mere 15 left to compete for. Once again, they took the lot to put intense pressure on the Reds that they were ultimately unable to handle.

Even this term, in which Chelsea have often looked infallible, Man City have already pulled level from eight points behind (after matchday 11) once before, so why should anyone doubt their ability to make a five-point deficit vanish?

Though most would agree that Pellegrini's side haven't yet peaked this season, their seven-game winning run between November 22 and December 26 is the longest that any club have been on in the Premier League in 2014/15.