Albeit with difficulty, Chelsea got the job done on Saturday afternoon defeating Swansea City and extending their lead at the top of the Premier League.
Chelsea continued their charge to the Premier League title on Saturday as they defeated Swansea City 3-1. The Swans made it hard for the hosts, but Antonio Conte’s men showed enough determination to ultimately prevail. With many of their rivals sitting out this week’s action, the Blues have placed further psychological pressure on them.
The victory extended Chelsea’s lead to 11 points over Manchester City and 13 over Arsenal. With Spurs beating Stoke City on Sunday afternoon, the gap to Mauricio Pochettino’s side is ten.
However, both City and Arsenal had the weekend off due to the EFL Cup final. Their scheduled games with Manchester United and Southampton, respectively, have been postponed. Hence, the Blues will now sit with this extended advantage until the games in hand are played.
The chasing pack are already in dire need of some Chelsea slip-ups, but now they face an even bigger mountain to climb. As long as the Blues win, Arsenal and City will face double-digit deficits at the start of each gameweek. Despite the game in hand, such a gap will dampen any remnants of optimism.
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Importantly, though, Chelsea managed to grind out a win that at one point seemed unlikely. After riding out an initial storm, Swansea bagged an equaliser on the stroke of half time. They then proceeded to make life difficult for the Blues and it was only a mistake by Lukasz Fabianski that allowed Chelsea to go back in front.
With under 20 minutes left on the clock, City fans would have been licking their lips at the prospect of Chelsea dropping unnecessary points. However, Conte’s men persevered and are now sitting pretty until their next game in over a week’s time.
Given the magnitude of the lead, the pressure is now on the pack to keep up. The Blues can afford a couple of slip-ups, but any mistakes from those underneath them will be fatal.
Moreover, Man City have added to their packed schedule by failing to beat Huddersfield in the FA Cup. The psychological pressure from being four games behind the league leaders will take its toll as the physical demands of their fixture list weigh heavy.
How do you think the season progresses from here? Will the chasing pack crumble? Or will Chelsea need to be at full throttle until the end? Let us know in the comments below!