Roberto Mancini has insisted that Chelsea are still title contenders despite struggling to keep up with his Manchester City side this season.
Mancini takes his Premier League leaders to Stamford Bridge on Monday night knowing that a win will put the Citizens 13 points clear of the West London club.
"They have 10 points less than us but we play two times against them and there are 24 games [left]," Mancini told BBC Sport.
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has been under pressure of late but Mancini claims the 34-year-old Portuguese boss remains the right man for the job.
He added: "Carlo Ancelotti is a fantastic manager and I was sorry for him when Chelsea decided to sack him, but I think Villas-Boas is a good manager for them."