Petr Cech has told his Chelsea team-mates they can win back the Premier League title with a good run over the hectic Christmas period.

The brilliant Czech Republic goalkeeper returned from five games out injured in Tuesday night's Champions League stalemate against Valencia and is preparing for Sunday's top-of-the-table showdown with the Gunners.

"It is a time of the year when there are so many difficult games in such a short space of time," he said.

"Squads have injuries and suspensions, and those sorts of things, and it can really change things.

"The first year I came to Chelsea, I remember going into the Christmas period five points behind Arsenal - but then we got a good 2-2 draw at Highbury.

"By the time the Christmas matches were all completed, we were five points ahead of them.

"I'm not saying that if you are top of the league just after Christmas then it is all done. But you are past the halfway mark and a lot closer to the title. Until that busy period is over, anything can happen."