After Defeat of Aston Villa, Can Anyone Stop Chelsea's Premier League Charge?

STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — "I think everybody knows that everybody is going to lose points," said Jose Mourinho.

"I don't think any team is scared or convinced that Chelsea is going to keep this run for 10, 15 or 20 matches.

"I think we know this is the Premier League. Every game is possible for a top team to lose points, so I don't think any team is worried about us."

If they aren't, Jose, then they should be.

We're not even out of September, but Chelsea are showing they have the potential to be out of sight in the Premier League title race before long.

Mourinho was speaking after watching his team dismantle a poor Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge 3-0 on an afternoon when everything—well, almost everything—went Chelsea's way.

Liverpool dropped more points when they drew with Everton in the Merseyside derby, and soon after the final whistle was blown on Chelsea's victory, Arsenal would go on to draw with Tottenham Hotspur in a local derby of their own.

Manchester City may have taken three points from Hull City, but looking at the Premier League table makes for ominous reading right now.

Chelsea are undefeated, they've won five out of their six matches and next week welcome the Gunners to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho's side is in better condition now than it has been since his return, and the last time he and Arsene Wenger clashed, Chelsea thumped Arsenal 6-0.

That victory in March was significant in ending Arsenal's title aspirations last term. Chelsea were ruthless and went for the jugular, punishing Wenger's side to the extent the psychological impact will surely play a part when they next meet.

In a week's time at Stamford Bridge, another defeat for Arsenal will surely end their title hopes once more.

It would put them nine points behind Chelsea, battered and bruised by Mourinho again. They'd struggle to recover, as they so often have in recent history.

Worse still for the Premier League, Chelsea's undefeated run will have continued, and the outlook will not be great for the rest of the teams competing, including reigning champions City.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Chelsea's start to the campaign has mirrored what we've seen in the past from Mourinho teams. In 2004/05 and the following season, when Chelsea claimed back-to-back Premier League titles, they were a winning machine that few teams could stop.

And when they eventually were beaten, Chelsea were so far ahead of the chasing pack the setback brought on by defeat was inconsequential.

In 2005/06, Chelsea's first defeat came on Nov. 6 at Old Trafford—a Darren Fletcher header enough to give Manchester United a much-needed three points as they endeavoured to chase the Blues down.

Chelsea losing a game of football was big news, but looking at the table from back then you'd have hardly known it.

Mourinho's side were still 10 points clear of United after that game, 15 ahead of Liverpool and 11 of Arsenal, who finished second, third and fourth, respectively.

Chelsea lost a further four games that season, yet they counted for little. The gap between them and their title rivals eventually reduced to eight points, proving the work done between August and that first week of November was when the title was won.

Against Villa at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea showed that same ruthless edge as a decade before.

The players have changed and the style has evolved, but the character remains—Mourinho's character.

Chelsea already have the title race by the scruff of the neck, squeezing the life out of it. From positions like this, Mourinho's teams rarely lose.

Yes, it's a marathon, we hear you cry, although when a team has Diego Costa leading the line, it can sprint at the beginning while those around them best hope they can keep up.

The Spanish international scored again against Villa, putting him on eight goals from six league matches this season. Defences are struggling to cope with him, and they will continue to be beaten down by his approach.

Sitting deep, with 10 men behind the ball, Paul Lambert's Villa thought squeezing space and congesting the areas Costa operates in would nullify his threat.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

He had one good chance in the 90 minutes, and he scored. That tells its own story—one we will continue to read throughout the next eight months.

Right now, teams are struggling to keep up with Chelsea's pace. They're desperately lagging, and all the while Chelsea are picking up their victories, building their lead and sitting pretty.

September's not over, but the Premier League title race very well could be.

All quotes taken firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Vote for Garry Hayes as the best established football writer in the 2014 Football Blogging Awards: http://bit.ly/1tYctFi

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes