City are odds-on favourites to win the title, with their dominant form leaving clubs neighbours Manchester United and reigning champions Chelsea in their wake.

But Chelsea have started to put together a strong run of results and saw off Newcastle 3-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as Eden Hazard starred.

Dwight Gayle put the visitors into a surprise lead only for Hazard to first level and then wrap up the points with a Panenka penalty after Alvaro Morata had headed Antonio Conte's men in front.

Despite Chelsea claiming six wins from their last seven games, Fabregas knows they need City to start dropping points to give them any chance of retaining their crown.

"It is important to get the win,'' he told Chelsea's official website. "It was an important three points.

"It is still a long way to go and that is why we have to hope Manchester City will slip up and we will manage to put some pressure on them.

"They are there because they deserve it and our job is just to keep going and see what happens at the top."

Meanwhile, Newcastle midfielder Mikel Merino was suitably impressed by Chelsea to back them to play a part in the title race.

"Chelsea are a really good team,'' Merino said. "They have pace, they have ability and they are individually one of the strongest teams in the Premier League.

"The way they play is so hard to play against. We started by scoring a goal, but in the end they have pace, ability and they have won the match."