Chelsea have had a season beyond all expectations, some pundits were handing the title to Antonio Conte’s side well before Christmas and since around January all others have followed suit.

Despite their recent loss to Crystal Palace, subsequent wins over Manchester City and Bournemouth mean the Blues remain seven points clear at the top of the Premier League with just six games to play.

Their closest challengers, Tottenham, have been highly impressive this season and welcomed back top scorer Harry Kane in their win over Watford at the weekend. However, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have a knack for coming close and throwing things away at the last, something which could occur again with clashes against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal before the end of the season.

That is not to say Conte’s side have the easiest of run-ins this season, there is really no such thing at this level, however – with former manager Jose Mourinho and his Manchester United side to come next, things could look very rosy in a couple of weeks.

In two attempts this season, in league and cup, the Red Devils boss has faced his former side and lost, whilst they were both at Stamford Bridge and the second defeat (2-1 with ten men) was far closer than the 4-0 battering they took in October, the leaders will head to Old Trafford with the confidence to end United’s unbeaten league run which stretches from that loss in west London before the New Year.

After the Red Devils, there is the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final against Spurs at Wembley, however, leaving the cup to one side, things get decidedly easier from there on in.

There are just two sides who one would assume will give the Blues a real game in the closing stages of their title charge, in Southampton and Everton with the former visiting the Bridge where they won last season and the latter waiting at Goodison Park where they have lost just once this season.

Aside from that top ten duo, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, who are all but relegated, as well as West Brom are the remaining sides standing in the way of Conte and a title in his maiden season in English football.

The line from west London, as it should be, will always be taking it one game at a time – and so on – however, it is hard to see, should they pick up three points at Old Trafford this coming weekend, there being any room for the chasing pack to catch Chelsea.