Chelsea have been by far and away the best side in the Premier League this season and the Blues are storming towards the title, with little threat of conceding their likely crown to a rival.

With Manchester City not playing this weekend, with their derby clash with Manchester United being postponed due to the EFL Cup final, Chelsea have the chance to move 11 points clear of the Citizens and potentially ten points clear at the top.

That would leave Chelsea with a comfortable margin heading into the final 12 games of the season and only a massive turnaround, that would have to include the Blues losing a quarter of their final games, would see Antonio Conte's side not lift the title.

This weekend's clash against struggling Swansea City could therefore be decisive in the title race, as any dropped points would allow City to move five points behind if they were to win their game in hand. However, BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson can't see anything else than a home win.

"Swansea (are) looking full of fight - with three wins in their past four league games they are the form team in the bottom six, and they look like they have a bit of substance about them too. The Swans are much improved and harder to break down, but I still don't think they will get anything against the leaders."

"Chelsea rested a lot of players for their FA Cup win over Wolves last weekend, and they will be ready for this game. With Diego Costa as their battering ram, I don't see Swansea holding out. The Blues dropped points against Burnley in their last league game, but I do not see that happening again here."

"It is going to be hard for any of the clubs below them to make up the gap because they are all in the same position - they will need to win three games on the spin, while Chelsea lose three. I cannot see that happening, to be honest."

"City and Arsenal will have a game in hand, yes, but having been in that sort of situation at Liverpool, you are always better off sitting there with the points."

Lawrenson is predicting a 3-0 victory for Chelsea this weekend, which still wouldn't be enough to see the Welsh side slip back into the bottom-three.

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