Negatives
1. Home form not being replicated away
Despite climbing into the top four, Chelsea’s poor away record remains a major hurdle in the race for Champions League qualification when compared to the home form. Among their next eight league opponents, the Blues have only beaten two in the reverse fixtures, Brentford and Newcastle. But Brentford away is always a tough task, and Chelsea already lost 2-0 to Newcastle at St James’ Park in the EFL Cup earlier this season.
The Blues haven’t won a Premier League away game since December 8th, when they beat Tottenham, the same team they defeated on Thursday. Their upcoming away fixtures include several top-half sides, all of whom are themselves chasing European football. Things are only going to get more difficult for Enzo Maresca and his side.
Had Chelsea shown more consistency earlier in the season, they’d likely be in a stronger position now. As it stands, their form since mid-December has kept them in contention. But there's a real risk they could drop out of the top four before the campaign ends.