Chelsea are all but out of the title race after losing 1-0 to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.
Earlier this season it looked like being a three-horse race between City, Chelsea and Liverpool that would go right down to the wire, but those predictions withered after Pep Guardiola's side's win over the Blues, their 12th consecutive Premier League victory.
Now, the English top division has a runaway leader.
Nevertheless, Alan Shearer thinks that Chelsea had opportunities to stop City on Saturday, but the understanding between Chelsea's team and their frontman, Romelu Lukaku, was lacking.
Speaking on Match of the Day on Saturday night, Shearer said: "For that relationship to work there needs to be a better understanding from him and his teammates. So, they know how to get the best work for the team.
"That certainly didn’t feel like that today. They got into so many good spaces and were wasteful. Not all of it was his fault, some of it was his teammates."
Kevin De Bruyne's superbly taken 70th-minute goal took City 13 points clear of the Blues in the title race and Chelsea's season now looks heavily dependent on their cup form going into the final run-in.
Thomas Tuchel's side have already qualified for the Carabao Cup final, where they will face either Arsenal or Liverpool, and with the Club World Cup due to take place next month, there's still ample opportunity for silverware at Stamford Bridge this season.
Nevertheless, it looks increasingly unlikely that Chelsea will be adding the Premier League title to their trophy cabinet, and the Blues have to improve their connection with Lukaku going into the business end of the season.
