Interim Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has suggested that his side have not given up on the possibility of finishing in the top four this season.
The Blues were only three points clear of the relegation zone and a full 15 adrift of the Champions League places at the halfway stage of the season, although that gap was reduced with a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace this afternoon.
Chelsea's performance drew comparisons with their title-winning form of last season from captain John Terry, and Hiddink admitted that it was a display and a result that his side "desperately needed".
"Do not go over the top - it is the first win after a worrying period with two draws so the team desperately needed the win and it was convincing," he told Sky Sports News.
"Everyone knows we have a lot of quality in our team, but sometimes champions have a tendency to be complacent and it can be difficult to get back and then wonder why we were champions.
"There is a long way to go, mathematically the possibility of Champions League is still there. The league is so strong but as long as we play like we did today I will be happy."
Hiddink has now lost just one of his 25 games in charge of Chelsea over two spells.
Barney Corkhill
