Petr Cech: 'This title is hopefully the start of a new era'

A win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday is all that separates Chelsea and the Premier League title.

Should Jose Mourinho's side grab three points versus Crystal Palace, the title race will effectively be over - Arsenal will be mathematically incapable of catching Chelsea, who have essentially sleepwalked their way to glory given the inconsistency of the Premier League's top clubs this season.

Five years have passed since Chelsea last won the league, and only Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, Didier Drogba, Nemanja Matic, and John Terry remain from that 2009-10 squad. As a result, Cech - who could leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season - is hopeful that winning this season's Premier League marks a changing of the guard.

"The last title we won was in 2010, so it has been a long time," the goalkeeper told reporters. 

"This title is hopefully the start of a new era, another generation of players. Only me, Didier (Drogba) and JT (John Terry) have been here for the last decade, so you can say this is a new generation of Chelsea. Hopefully we will confirm the title on Sunday and this team will continue on.

"You can be a great player but the experience of playing difficult games under pressure, and becoming champions gives you another step, another dimension."

Having only made six Premier League appearances this season, Cech recently admitted that he doesn't want to spend another campaign as Thibaut Courtois's understudy. However, one year will remain on his contract at the end of the season.