Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has urged his side to "wake up before it's too late" to stop Chelsea from clinching the English Premier League title this season.
The Citizens have not been in the best of forms of late, having failed to register a win in their last four Premier League fixtures against Everton (1-1), Arsenal (2-0), Chelsea (1-1) and Hull City (1-1).
This drop in form has allowed the Blues re-establish a seven point lead over the reigning champions, with 14 games remaining in the Premier League.
Although Manchester City managed to clinch the 2013/14 Premier League title despite being nine points behind Liverpool at the same stage last season, Nasri believes that Chelsea are a more "solid" team and his side need to catch the Blues "as soon as possible."
"We have to wake up and do the job now before it's too late," Nasri told ESPN. "Chelsea, with no disrespect, are not Liverpool who can drop points. They are really solid.
"We have to catch them as soon as possible if we want to be champions. But at the same time we have to look behind us. Southampton have won, United are getting close."
Despite admitting that his side will find it difficult at Stoke City on Wednesday, he admits that City have no option but to beat them.
"It will be tough at Stoke. It's not ideal on a Wednesday night during the winter, but we have to win it."
Meanwhile, Yaya Toure has also echoed Nasri's thoughts, insisting that City need to win all their remaining games.
The midfielder, who has been away on international duty for the past one month, is expected to return to the Etihad this week following his triumph with Ivory Coast in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
And the 31-year-old, who was one of the players that managed to successfully convert from the spot during Ivory Coast's 9-8 penalty shootout win against Ghana in the final, feels that there is now no room for error if they want to successfully retain the Premier League title.
"We have 38 games and if we want to achieve it [retaining the title] we have to win all the games. I know it is difficult but now I have to go back and do my duty again," Toure said.
