A timeline toward triumph: Key matches from Chelsea's run to the title
Similar to the countless moments during a match when a willingness to adapt and persevere often influences the outcome, examining the matches throughout the marathon that is Chelsea's season reveals the moments and decisions vital to the Blues' journey toward their fifth Premier League title.
Here's a collection of the matches that proved vital in capturing English football's most coveted prize:
Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea - Sept. 24
Few could have predicted the contrasting paths each side would go down following Arsenal's comfortable 3-0 win - a defeat that proved to be Chelsea's heaviest of the season.
Arsene Wenger's men dominated the tie as Arsenal jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott opened the scoring inside 15 minutes to put the match out of reach early.
The result was ultimately a false indicator of things to come as an inspired Antonio Conte implemented a new 3-4-3 system with tremendous success in the months that followed.
Chelsea 4-0 Manchester United - Oct. 23
Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge for the first time as Manchester United manager resulted in one of Chelsea's most impressive displays of the season at the expense one of the most revered figures in the club's history.
After receiving a positive reception from the Chelsea faithful, the Blues were far from cordial as they embarrassed Mourinho's team 4-0, with the hosts finding the back of the net just 30 seconds after kick-off.
The victory took place in the midst of a six-game run that saw Chelsea outscore its opponents 17-0 en route to top spot in the Premier League with a one-point edge over Liverpool.
Chelsea 2-1 Spurs - Nov. 26
The first of two consecutive big tests awaited Chelsea at the end of November when Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham - the only side without a loss in the league after 12 matches - visited the Bridge.
The match began in similar fashion to the previous time Chelsea faced a north London neighbour as Tottenham jumped out in front with Christian Eriksen's stunning strike from from outside the area 11 minutes into the contest.
The visitors were close to entering the break with an advantage until Pedro ended the half with an unstoppable strike to bring Chelsea level.
The resurgent Victor Moses fired the Blues into the lead just minutes after halftime as Chelsea held on to reclaim its place atop the table.
Chelsea 3-1 Manchester City - Dec. 3
A week after the triumph against Spurs, Chelsea went up against another formidable foe as the league leader looked to create some separation from third-place Manchester City, who trailed the Blues by a point through 14 games.
Gary Cahill's own goal saw the Eithad Stadium erupt just before halftime, but disappointment followed in the second frame when Diego Costa, Willian, and Eden Hazard propelled Chelsea to an eighth consecutive win.
It was a closer contest when the two clashed again in April, but a double from Hazard proved decisive in Chelsea's 2-1 victory.
Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal - Feb. 4
The second meeting with Arsenal not only marked a chance for Chelsea to reclaim some of the pride it lost in September, it was also an opportunity for Conte's men to knock another contender out of the title race.
After 13 minutes, Chelsea was well on its way to a 3-1 victory over an uninspired Arsenal outfit that went on to claim just seven of a possible 18 points over the next six games.
Chelsea 3-0 Everton - April 30
With good reason, the celebrations grew more intense with every goal when Chelsea managed to grind out a win over Everton. The three points were virtually enough to end the title race.
The 3-0 outcome doesn't reflect the struggle Chelsea faced against a stubborn Everton side for the majority of the game, but it was enough to take whatever hope was left from Tottenham's dwindling title bid just hours before a, retrospectively, inconsequential north London derby victory.
Tottenham played its part in Friday's celebrations with a shock loss to West Ham a week prior to pave the way for Chelsea's second Premier League title in three years.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)