After a disappointing loss at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Conference League, Chelsea are back in the Premier League. On Sunday, the Blues face their London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage. Here are the things to look for from the match.
1. Chelsea's Champions League hopes hinge on crucial wins
Chelsea spent a lot of months inside the top four. Despite their poor form since mid-December, they continued their spot in the Champions League places mainly because of how other teams performed. However, in the last few weeks, those teams vying for the Champions League spots have stepped up. Even though the recent performances of English teams in Europe have made being top five in the table enough for qualifying to the Champions League next season, the Blues have continued to waver.
The form of Chelsea has been very poor. They have not won away in the league since early December. Since mid-December, they have only five wins in the league. Those wins came against teams among the bottom six in the league. Injuries to key players were blamed for some reasons. But at the moment, apart from one or two players, most of the squad is available, yet Chelsea continues to struggle.
A win on Sunday would take Chelsea, at least temporarily, to fifth, just two points behind Newcastle United in third. But not many of their fans would be expecting them to close that gap at the moment. Under Enzo Maresca, the team has looked uninspired and unconvincing. His tactics and team selections have drawn widespread criticism. But if there is anything Chelsea can do, Sunday might be the best time. Otherwise, a Champions League spot could become a target too far to achieve.