Chelsea defender Gary Cahill admits their busy schedule has been tough.

The Blues have played 38 games this season, their schedule including matches in midweek and at the weekend for the past two months.

Cahill said: "It is demanding because you want to go into a game feeling 100 per cent - that is your best chance to get the best result and play at your best.

"But at the minute it's impossible to feel 100 per cent fresh. It is difficult but we can't use it as an excuse.

"We dug in and got the result against Arsenal and sometimes you need to do that - the other night against Southampton we didn't. That's the positive to take out of it."