Chelsea prolonged their wait for this season's Premier League title, but a solitary goal over Crystal Palace was all they needed to be crowned champions. There is no doubt that it is deserved, following their league dominance from start to finish this season. The challenge Jose Moreno and his Chelsea charges now face, is how to maintain their momentum, keep their league rivals at bay, and chase down European success.

Jose Mourinho claimed back to back titles with Chelsea at his first stint with the club, but looking ahead to next season, how easy is it to defend a league crown?

Last season's champions, Manchester City, have endured a disappointing campaign, reminiscent of the season following their league win in the 2011/12 season.

But what of the future for Chelsea? We all know that football can be a fickle business, but when a manager is paid millions of pounds, they must deliver. Mourinho's boss is a tough task master and has hankered after domestic glory for years. He has it, but they need to now reach the next level and be taken as a real threat in Europe.

Chelsea last won the Champions League back in 2012 under Roberto Di Matteo and although Mourinho himself has won it twice - with Inter Milan and Porto before that - he has never been able to take Chelsea beyond the semi-finals.

We could easily forget that the football season is still not over, and although this season's job is done and dusted, Mourinho will not afford himself too long to celebrate. Undoubtedly he is masterminding next season's assault on the league and on European glory, too. Recent history suggests that the league is harder to retain - indeed, the last time Chelsea did so, their points haul and goal difference was significantly poorer the second time around.

Add the fact that Manchester United are growing in strength and desire under Louis Van Gaal, Manchester City are sure to come back next season an entirely different beast, and ensuring the league title stays in West London will be a tough task. Manchester City's Financial Fair Play constraints will be lifted too, having only been allowed to spend £49m on any new players arriving at the club.

It is all too easy to forget the fact that Chelsea won the League Cup this season too. They have now collected 15 trophies since Roman Abramovic bought the club in 2003 - success only bettered by Manchester United with a trophy haul of 16.

Undoubtedly, Chelsea fans love Mourinho, and with good reason, but the Portuguese has never been one to commit his long-term future to a club. Once he has achieved what he wants, he seeks a challenge and silverware at another club, where he must conquer a different league. But this time around seems different, and when asked in February of this year what he hoped to achieve at Chelsea in his second tenure, he freely admitted that should he be offered a ten-year contract, he would gladly accept.

"I'm very, very happy. If somebody tells me I'm going to make 10 years at Chelsea I would say 'yes'. There is no doubt that Mourinho is one of the best managers we have ever seen. It might not be good news for rival clubs that he intends to prolong his stay at Chelsea, but he has set a new standard for rivals to aspire to, which can only make competition more interesting. Mourinho is undoubtedly a very good manager. But to be great, he needs to deliver what Abramovic so badly craves and what a club with such domestic dominance needs to achieve - next season he must bring the Champions League title to Stamford Bridge.