Manchester City playmaker Samir Nasri has turned up the heat in the title race by claiming Chelsea are 'not special'.
City face a fight to retain their Barclays Premier League crown having fallen seven points behind the Londoners at the top of the table.
The champions had looked to be wavering after failing to win in four league games but they returned to form with an impressive 4-1 win at Stoke on Wednesday.
It did not cut into Chelsea's lead, and Jose Mourinho's men remain firm favourites, but Nasri is convinced they could still be vulnerable.
The Frenchman said: "I'm a big fan of Mourinho, but I am not impressed with his team, not at all. We have played them twice, one time with 10 men, and we were better than them.
"Then we played them at the Bridge, we were better than them.
"When I have seen some of their games, I don't think they are that fantastic - they are just strong and have a good striker up front.
"For me they are not special at all, and I think they are going to make some mistakes. We just have to perform, to win our games, and see what's going to happen.
"This title will be like this until the end of the season. No-one will win the league 10 games before the end of the season."
City famously overturned deficits to win both of their Premier League titles in 2012 and 2014 by narrow margins.
They have also recovered from eight points behind to pull level with Chelsea once this season, only to fall back again in the past month.
Nasri believes history shows that opportunities will arise and City, who have 13 games to play, have to be ready to pounce.
They might even have taken two points off Chelsea's lead already, but for Willian's last-gasp winner against Everton on Wednesday.
Nasri, who scored City's fourth goal at the Britannia Stadium, said: "We know that the two times we won the league, we were behind at this time of the year.
"Two months ago we were eight points behind Chelsea and came back and went level with them. Now we are seven points behind, but are not going to make big talk about it.
"We will just try to get as many points as possible and wait for the mistake.
"They won in the last minute against Everton, so maybe next time they will draw. We just have to win our games and see what will happen.
"The season is still long, they have the Champions League and the final of the Capital One Cup as well, so have a lot of games to play."
Nasri, in a separate interview, admitted he can sometimes be a "little jerk" but has vowed to continue speaking his mind.
The Frenchman has been surrounded by controversy at various times during his career and developed a reputation for making forthright comments.
However, Nasri has stressed he is not about to change.
The 27-year-old was quoted by L'Equipe as saying: "From time to time (I can be) a little jerk.
"Sometimes it is better to shut up, but it's something I cannot do.
"I managed when I was younger and I would sometimes come home with a lump in my stomach. Next, you explode but not at the right person.
"So I prefer to say what I think - even not being loved, even sounding arrogant, even being a little s***.
"At least the people I love do not suffer."
Nasri has been quoted hitting out at his former boss Roberto Mancini - the manager who signed him for the Blues - and fans of his old club Arsenal over the last few years, as well as the French media.
He also reportedly quit playing for France after falling out with his international team-mates and coach Didier Deschamps.
Source: PA
