MARTEN DE ROON expects Chelsea to finish the season as Premier League champions, but insists Middlesbrough are still capable of beating them on Monday to keep their own season alive.

While Antonio Conte’s side currently boast a four-point advantage at the top of the table, their lead will have been cut to one by the time they host Boro if Tottenham win at West Ham tonight.

That would pile considerable pressure onto Chelsea’s players, but their opponents will be in even greater need of a victory if Hull beat Sunderland tomorrow.

If Hull triumph against the already-relegated Black Cats, Boro will be nine points adrift of safety with three games remaining, and will therefore need to win at Stamford Bridge to have any chance of clambering to safety.

Given that Chelsea have only suffered two home defeats in all competitions all season – to Liverpool and Crystal Palace – Boro’s task could hardly be more difficult.

But while de Roon is a strong admirer of the Premier League leaders, he does not regard them as unbeatable provided Boro maintain the standards they set in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Manchester City.

“Chelsea are flying, and I think they will be the champions,” said the Dutch midfielder. “But we have to go there and put in the type of performance we did at the weekend, and we must hope that we can get something.

“We don’t have it in our hands now, and that is always difficult. They (Hull) have to lose, and we have to win at Chelsea.

“The only thing we can do now is try to win all the three games we have left. We can just do our bit, and keep going to the end.”

Having ended a four-month winless run when they beat Sunderland in the Tees-Wear derby, Boro took another step forward when they matched Manchester City for the vast majority of Sunday’s game.

The Teessiders were unfortunate not to claim more than a point as City were awarded a controversial second-half penalty despite Leroy Sane appearing to tumble over de Roon’s trailing leg as he crashed to the floor in the box.

De Roon remains extremely frustrated by referee Kevin Friend’s decision to award a spot-kick, with Boro’s collective annoyance having been heightened by the Football Association’s subsequent decision to charge the club with a failure to control their players.

Nevertheless, there was pride at the quality of Boro’s overall performance against City, as well as an acknowledgment that a similar performance will be required if they are to take anything from Stamford Bridge.

“I think the team was good against City,” said de Roon. “I think the balance was good, and we can take many positives from that.

“Sunderland was a win, but it was a bad game. But the (Man City) game was a good performance and a good mentality, and I think a good game to watch.

“We have to go to Chelsea and do that again – play well against a good team and try to win the game. If we are organised and take our chances, then everything is possible.”

Meanwhile, Boro are set to offer a trial to Luxembourg international Enes Mahmutovic after watching the defender in action last weekend.

Boro sent a scouting delegation to watch Mahmutovic’s Fola Esch side take on Differdange, and are keen to take a closer look at the 19-year-old.

Mahmutovic, who has already had a trial at Aston Villa, is set to travel to Rockliffe Park once he recovers from a minor injury.

* Middlesbrough’s Under-23s claimed a 3-1 win over Guisborough Town in an end-of-season friendly, with striker Luke Armstrong scoring two goals.

Armstrong, who is the son of former Boro striker, Alun, was released by the Teessiders at the end of his youth contract, but re-signed last month after scoring 23 goals for Blyth Spartans in National League North.

The 20-year-old scored twice at Guisborough, with Anthony Renton also finding the target as part of a youthful Boro line-up.