Chelsea news: Is Thomas Tuchel’s side in danger of missing out on a top-four place?

Chelsea have 66 points from 34 matches. They are only three points ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal and five points in front of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel; Credit: Twitter/@ChelseaFC
By Karthik Raman | May 1, 2022 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

At the start of the season, Chelsea were labeled as a favourite for the Premier League title. Thomas Tuchel’s side were expected to compete with Manchester City and Liverpool for the prized trophy. The Blues started well and held on to the top spot for a good number of days. At that time, their defence was rock solid and impenetrable. Fast forward to the end of the campaign, Chelsea are way off from the top two teams and their place in the top-four positions is also not yet sealed. They held on to the third spot for a considerable amount of time which made many believe that the other teams only had the fourth position to fight for in the race for Champions League football. However, that is not the case with the Premier League action reaching the final month of the season.

Arsenal, Tottenham are hot on Chelsea’s heels

Chelsea have 66 points from 34 matches. They are only three points ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal and five points in front of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea’s superior goal difference (39) could come in handy for them. With only four games left to go, it is highly improbable to see the Blues drop out of the top four positions. However, Premier League in the past has shown that anything can happen till the final match week. Leicester City are the best example. The Foxes held on to the third spot for a good number of weeks in the last two seasons but eventually failed to finish in the Champions League places. Tuchel will be well aware of it and will do anything in his power to prevent his side from suffering a similar collapse.

READ MORE – Everton vs Chelsea: Frank Lampard’s side record a massive victory

How has Chelsea performed in recent games?

It is difficult to understand why Chelsea have been struggling at the business end of the campaign. The Blues seemed to have sealed the third spot a while ago. However, the recent run of poor results has shown us that is not the case. Tuchel’s side won only once in the last four games and that was an injury-time winner from Christian Pulisic against West Ham United. They lost twice – 2-4 against Arsenal and 0-1 against Everton – and drew the other game against Manchester United (1-1) despite dominating most of the match. Not to mention that in this period, Chelsea were also knocked out from the Champions League quarterfinals against Real Madrid but they still have a FA Cup final to play against Liverpool.

Lack of goals upfront is a concern for Thomas Tuchel

Their 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford demonstrated Chelsea’s problems. The Blues were the dominant side for most parts of the game, but lack of ruthlessness in front of the goal and David De Gea’s brilliance in between the posts came to the home side’s rescue. In total, Thomas Tuchel’s side had 21 shots to Manchester United’s six but still, they had to settle for a draw. This has been their story of the season. No wonder Chelsea’s top three scorers in the Premier League this season are midfielders – Mason Mount (10 goals), Kai Havertz (7) and Jorginho (6). Their centre-forwards – Romelu Lukaku (5) and Timo Werner (4) – have only scored nine goals between them in the league till now. 

READ MORE – Tottenham Hotspur vs Leicester: Son Heung-min nets double to help Spurs win 3-1

Chelsea fixtures: What are their remaining matches?

Compared to their top-four rivals, Chelsea’s run-in is relatively easier in the Premier League. Three of their final four games are at home, starting with Wolves, Leicester City and Watford. Their only away match is against struggling Leeds United. In between, they also have to play the FA Cup final against Liverpool. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Tottenham have tricky fixtures in the remaining matches – none more than both sides playing each other on 13th May. That match will definitely split some points, thereby aiding Chelsea’s bid to finish in the top four places. Take a look at the remaining Premier League matches for these three sides:

Chelsea Matches Arsenal Matches Tottenham Matches
Wolves (H) Leeds (H) Liverpool (A)
Leicester City (H) Tottenham (A) Arsenal (H)
Leeds United (A) Newcastle (A) Burnley (H)
Watford (H) Everton (H) Norwich City (A)




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