Michael Essien believes that Chelsea will prove "very difficult" to catch in the Premier League as Jose Mourinho sides make such strong frontrunners.
The Blues are three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table, but have seen the champions cut their advantage by four in recent weeks.
Essien, who won the title under Mourinho at Stamford Bridge in the 2005-06 season, still feels that his former club will be tricky to dislodge.
He told BBC Sport: "There is still a long way to go but I'm sure they are in a good position and once Jose is ahead it is very difficult to overtake him."
The Ghanaian midfielder made 257 appearances for Chelsea before leaving for AC Milan in January 2014.
