Chelsea cannot afford to allow Manchester United to pull further ahead of them in the Premier League table. With Arsenal and Manchester City both expected to continue winning, Chelsea’s realistic battle is to remain above United and stay competitive in the race for the top four.
Softfootball have gathered, Manchester City are widely seen as having a stronger chance of finishing in the top four than Chelsea, Manchester United, or even Liverpool. This makes Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures crucial.
Chelsea currently sit fifth in the table, with Liverpool in sixth and Manchester United occupying fourth place. To keep pressure on United, Chelsea must win their next three matches – Wolves away, followed by home fixtures against Leeds and Burnley. Securing all nine points from these games is viewed as essential.
One challenge for Chelsea is fixture congestion. Manchester United are playing just one match per week, giving their players more recovery time. Chelsea, by contrast, are dealing with fitness concerns. Reece James missed the 1–0 defeat to Arsenal after failing to recover in time from his previous match, while United players benefit from longer rest periods between games.
Chelsea’s attacking form also raises concerns. Garnacho and Gittens have yet to be prolific since joining the club and are expected to step up during this critical period. Estavio Williams is currently dealing with family issues, but the club will hope he can return and contribute as Chelsea push for maximum points.
With Cole Palmer out of form and Delap struggling to score, Chelsea’s main attacking hope at present rests on João Pedro as they aim to secure the nine points needed to keep their season on track.
