Mata focused on next vital game

The must-win games keep on coming for Andre Villas-Boas's resurgent Blues, whose 3-0 victory over on Tuesday night ensured they avoided crashing out of Europe's premier club competition. Their next mission is to try to cut the 10-point gap to Premier League leaders City, who visit Stamford Bridge on Monday night.

Defeat would be a massive blow to Chelsea's title hopes and make City even firmer favourites to be crowned champions for the first time in 44 years. But Mata was not interested in the implications of falling 13 points adrift, saying: "I'm just thinking of winning."

Some have already dismissed Chelsea's title bid, regardless of Monday's result, but Mata added: "It is not impossible. There are so many weeks until the Premier League finishes. We will keep going every week to win and to be closest to the leader."

The 23-year-old, who has been a revelation since his ?23.5million summer move from Valencia, is under no illusions how hard it will be to stop a team that won 6-1 at Old Trafford in October and have dropped just four points all season.

"Man City are having a great Premier League," he said.

"They are the leaders, they win in every game and we hope that here at Stamford Bridge they will have a difficult game."

Mata also acknowledged Chelsea will have to play a lot better than in their matches against other top clubs this season, having failed to take a point from Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United.

He said: "We lost against Liverpool, against Arsenal, against Manchester United, but we hope that against Manchester City we'll change this."

Source: PA

Source: PA