New-man Bent aiming to put a dent in City hopes

Roberto Mancini still feels Chelsea will put up a fierce fight to retain their Premier League title.

The Blues had won just once in nine games before last weekend's victory over Blackburn.

From a position of superiority at the top of the table, Chelsea are now fourth, seven points adrift of leaders Manchester United and Mancini's City.

City boss Mancini, who claimed earlier this season that Chelsea would retain their crown "easily", does not feel Carlo Ancelotti's men can be written off just yet.

"Chelsea could come back again," said the Italian ahead of City's trip to Aston Villa tomorrow evening.

"Maybe at this moment Manchester United are better than them, but their problem has been to have so many players injured.”

Mancini is likely to make changes for the Chelsea encounter.