Chelsea are no strangers to featuring in major cup finals, this weekend will be their 28th since 1997, but it is not often that the Blues go into a showpiece occasion as massive underdogs. Chelsea had lost six successive Premier League matches prior to last weekend's 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield; Enzo Fernández's free-kick making its way in, having evaded everybody.
This form has seen them spiral down to ninth place, potentially requiring victory at Wembley on Saturday to secure any European qualification. Ryan Gravenberch's sixth minute screamer on Merseyside means Chelsea are now without a clean sheet in 14 consecutive Premier League matches, dating back to Liam Rosenior's first match in charge on 17 January.
This is the Blues' longest sequence since failing to keep a clean sheet in 17 successive fixtures between 2 March and 31 August 1991. Back then, Bobby Campbell's team finished 11th in the First Division, before coming 14th the following year, with a similar mid-table outcome possibly on the cards.
Back to modern times, where does Chelsea's 11 Premier League matches without a shutout compare to the rest of the division?
Premier League clubs 25/26 longest streak without a clean sheet
Clubs | Longest streak no clean sheet | When streak took place |
|---|---|---|
West Ham United | 21 | September - January |
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 19 | August - January |
Leeds United | 15 | September - December |
Tottenham Hotspur | 14 | January - April |
Newcastle United | 12 | October - December |
Chelsea | 11 | January - ongoing |
Fulham | 11 | January - March |
Nottingham Forest | 11 | August - November |
Burnley | 11 | December - March |
Manchester United | 10 | October - December |
Brighton & Hove Albion | 9 | August - October |
Bournemouth | 8 | December - January |
Brentford | 8 | October - December |
Aston Villa | 7 | December - January |
Sunderland | 7 | October - December |
Everton | 6 | Sep-Nov, Jan-Feb & ongoing |
Crystal Palace | 6 | December - January |
Liverpool | 5 | September - October |
Arsenal | 4 | February - March |
Manchester City | 3 | Nov - Dec & Jan |
Only five clubs in the Premier League this season have endured a longer sequence of matches without a clean sheet than Chelsea's ongoing streak of 11. This includes Wolverhampton Wanderers, who failed to win or enjoy a shutout during their first 19 fixtures this season, as well as West Ham, who conceded at least once in 21 consecutive games between September and January.
Both are currently on course for relegation, while the only other teams above Chelsea, namely Tottenham, Newcastle and Leeds, all find themselves in the bottom seven of the table too. Well, with games against a desperate Spurs and then Sunderland at the Stadium of Light to come to close out the campaign, this sequence may only get worse for Calum McFarlane's team.
Before then, Chelsea will be at Wembley for the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday. The Blues' most-recent win over the Sky Blues was pretty memorable, coming in the 2021 Champions League final at the Estádio do Dragão. Subsequently, the pair have met 13 times, producing ten wins for Man City and three draws. Just 34 days ago, Pep Guardiola's team demolished them 3-0 at Stamford Bridge, all the goals coming after the interval.
Well, given Chelsea's less than watertight back line, and the Citizens' imperious recent form, there will surely only be one winner in North West London, right? Well, you just never know.
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