Chelsea can win the toughest title race ever, says Mikel

John Obi Mikel believes the Premier League title race will be the toughest ever this season - but insists Chelsea can clinch the crown.

Chelsea may have won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history last term, but they endured a miserable league campaign which saw them finish 25 points adrift of champions Manchester City and runners-up Manchester United.

Roberto Di Matteo has been busy in the transfer market this summer, bringing in Eden Hazard,
Oscar and Marko Marin, as the Blues attempt to mount a serious challenge for the title they last won in 2010.

And Obi Mikel is adamant his side can push the Manchester duo all the way this time around.

“We want to win it,” the Nigerian midfielder told talkSPORT. “We are not thinking about closing gaps. We just want to make sure we regain the trophy. It’s been two years now since we won it.

“I think this season is going to be one of the toughest yet. Man United are still hurting from losing on the last day, they want to win, and obviously Man City want to retain it.

“It’s going to be very difficult but come the end of the season we want to be there challenging.".
Chelsea have begun their bid to win back the title with two straight victories, over Wigan and
Reading, and Obi Mikel is confident of stretching their unbeaten start this weekend when Newcastle travel to Stamford Bridge.

“It’s has been a very good start for us,” he added. “We all know how we finished last season, we didn’t do well in the Premier League. It’s just the start we needed to make sure we can have a good season.

“Last season we lost to them [Newcastle] at home but we will try to make sure that doesn’t happen. The players we have bought into the team, and the way we are playing now, hopefully we will have too much for them going forward.

“At the same time we have to make sure we defend well. It’s going to be a difficult game, they are playing well and have confidence from last season with the way they finished. But if we do exactly what we plan to do, it’s going to be easy for us.”