After keeping out Clint Dempsey's spot-kick, Cech said: "For the title, this point is too little.
"Mathematically it's not over, but we are quite far off because our rivals won games and we lost two points."
Despite Cech's save in the 93rd minute to rescue a point, with leaders United and second-placed Arsenal both winning at the weekend, Carlo Ancelotti's team remained in fifth place and face a monumental task to retain their crown.
The Italian boss, whose side have already lost seven times this season, admitted the club's main mission was now geared towards qualifying for the Champions League by finishing in the top four.
Ancelotti said: "The most important thing is to finish in the top four. I think we will be able to do this if we play like we did tonight. I'm an optimist and there's good reason to have confidence.
"The football we showed tonight was good, and we have to continue it. I think that we deserved to win this game. We could lose it, but Petr Cech saved a penalty with a fantastic save."
Striker Fernando Torres was guilty of four missed chances as he again misfired in his second game for his new club since moving from Liverpool for £50m.
With Didier Drogba dropped to the bench, Ancelotti defended his decision to revert to a 4-3-3 formation with Nicholas Anelka and Florent Malouda supporting the Spaniard.
 | "I don't know if Didier was happy, but every player knows every game is important. We wanted to rotate to maintain his condition and to give everyone great motivation" Carlo Ancelotti |
"Every striker wants to score. I don't think he's frustrated because he needs time to play with us and, after one week, he was really better after that first performance.
"I don't know if Didier was happy, but every player knows every game is important. It doesn't matter. We wanted to rotate to maintain his condition and to give everyone great motivation."
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