Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho opted to be positive after his side's 1-1 draw at home against Southampton.
With Manchester City dropping points on Saturday, the Blues could have opened an eight-point lead at the top of the English Premier League.
But in the end they had to accept just one point from an entertaining game of football at Stamford Bridge.
"Yesterday we had five points more than second, now we have six points more and one fewer match to play," Mourinho is quoted as saying by the BBC.
"It makes our situation better than before the game.
"It's positive rather than negative. The performance until the penalty, the team was stable and was playing, not amazingly well, but with control. Towards the end of the first half we lost control.
"When Ramires came on he stopped the counter attack.
"We created lots of chances in the second half to win the game. We were unlucky we couldn't score. I didn't like the moment after the penalty - the remaining minutes of the first half.
"When you are winning 1-0 you are on top, then they get a penalty and the opponent gets confidence. We were anxious to react to 1-1.
"In the second half the players had the desire, the mentality and stability - we created more stability than we had in the last matches."
Asked about Mike Dean's awarded penalty and the decision to wave away Branislav Ivanovic's penalty shout in the second half, the Portuguese said: "About the penalty? My opinion is not important.
"It's the referee's decision and the pundits' opinions. My feeling that penalty for Chelsea in our favour - impossible to be given. My clear feeling."
