Chelsea cannot rank themselves as Premier League title contenders after their poor end to December, says Levi Colwill.

Enzo Maresca's side seemed set to challenge Liverpool for the top-flight crown before a three-game winless run to end 2024 somewhat dented those hopes.

Chelsea were held to a goalless draw by Everton before losing to Fulham on Boxing Day and falling to a 2-0 defeat at Ipswich Town in Monday's clash at Portman Road.

Colwill says those results are not the form of a title-challenging team, echoing previous suggestions from Maresca that Chelsea are not in contention for the Premier League crown.

"If you're in the title race, you don't drop points in December, like we did last three games," the England defender told Sky Sports.

"That's the experience. Hopefully we will be there maybe next season, maybe the season after, but I don't think we're running this season."

Chelsea's last two defeats were as many as they had suffered in their previous 23 Premier League games combined (W15 D6).

They last suffered more losses in a row between April and May 2023 during Frank Lampard’s second spell in charge (four), and will be keen to make amends when they visit Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Maresca's team still have a firm grip on fourth place, however, sitting three points clear of fifth-placed Newcastle United and just two behind Nottingham Forest in third.

Colwill insists Chelsea are comfortable with their current development as a team, rather than focusing on the outside noise surrounding a potential title challenge.

"We all know where we are as a team," he continued. "Of course, there’s a lot of talk in the outside world but we don’t buy into that.

"Confidence hasn’t changed, morale hasn’t changed, we just take it game by game.

"All of that, that’s going on, inside the changing room we have those conversations and we know where we are."