Another season is drawing to a close in west London, and for the first time in the last three years, the race for the top four won’t come down to the last day. At least, not as far as Chelsea is concerned. Arsenal’s recent 2-0 defeat at St. James’ Park means that the Blues have locked in their place in next season’s UEFA Champions League before kicking off in either of their last two matches. Therefore, the penultimate Premier League match against Leicester City will be relatively stress free—at least as much as these matches can be—as there is not much riding on the result.
The fact that the stakes aren’t high in this contest is a breath of fresh air to supporters. This is especially the case when one considers Chelsea’s history against the Foxes. The Blues have only mustered up four wins in their last 11 matches against Leicester City. Nevertheless, there is little pressure to make it five out of 12 considering the circumstances. It’s always nice to end the season on a high note, but the difference between third and fourth is trivial. Even then, the chance at three points always awaits at the weekend against Watford.
Here is how The Pride of London team sees the contest playing out:
Joseph Joe: 2-0 Chelsea
With the Premier League season coming to an end and Champions League football secured, Tuchel’s side doesn’t have much to fight for in this match. This is the kind of game where young players and players who have had less game time should start. A win would be ideal though.
Kevin Peacock: 2-0 Chelsea
Just thank heavens this season is nearly over. In so many ways, it’s been extremely difficult and perhaps Sunday is the day to discuss all of that. This game doesn’t really have anything on it. However, third place in the Premier League is preferable to the fourth spot. The disappointment of losing to Liverpool in the FA Cup final will subside as Chelsea eases past the Foxes with goals from Marcos Alonso and Harvey Vale.
Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 2-0 Chelsea
Leicester City will no doubt be looking to counterattack in this game, which means that the Foxes will likely be sitting back for the majority of the game. The Blues have not been the best at breaking down low blocks this season, but they have enough talent to be able to eventually break the Leicester defense down. The pressure on Chelsea is considerably reduced and the Blues fans hope that this helps the team to be more relaxed and confident.
Caden Charpentier: 3-0 Chelsea
Finishing the season off well is important, especially heading back home for the last two.
Gabe Henderson: 2-1 Chelsea
In a perfect world, the likes of Lewis Hall, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Vale would start this match. As we know though, this season is anything but predictable, perfect or ordinary. Tuchel will likely field a strong starting XI as his competitive nature drives him to capture third place in the Premier League. It doesn’t really matter who starts this game. That said, I’d like to see the likes of Marcos Alonso, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Antonio Rudiger and Timo Werner start against Watford at the weekend as they take the pitch at Stamford Bridge for the last time—or, possibly the last time, as far as some of them are concerned.
This game won’t be easy for the Blues, but their fans are as cool as cucumbers. This may be the first Chelsea match all season where supporters can kick back and relax while watching.
Leighton September: 4-2 Chelsea
The end is nearly here and both teams have nothing to play for. A win for Chelsea would cement third place in the league. The Foxes scored a handful their last time out and they will thrive against a not-so-stubborn defence. Expect this to be an open game, and for that, a high scoring match.
What is your score prediction? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!