Tough Days Ahead: Chelsea fixtures compared to Aston Villa, Tottenham and Man United
Mauricio Pochettino only has a day or two on the training pitches at Cobham before Chelsea lock horns with Sheffield United. Chris Wilder will welcome the Blues to Bramall Lane on Sunday afternoon as either side hopes to climb the Premier League table.
Chelsea head into the clash following a dramatic 4-3 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening, meanwhile, the Blades suffered a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. A late strike from Cole Palmer against the Red Devils wrapped up three crucial points in the race for Europa League qualification, propelling the west Londoners into tenth.
Sheffield United, however, still sit rock bottom. Relegation from the English top flight looks likely, but survival remains mathematically possible, so Wilder could very well throw the kitchen sink at Chelsea this weekend.
As the season comes to a close, the stakes are raised. So, with that being said, let’s take a look at how the Blues’ upcoming fixtures compare to their rivals in the race for European football.
Sheffield United (A) – Premier League – April 7
While the Blades could still mathematically escape the drop, they sit at the bottom of the table with just 15 points. Chelsea’s target, however, appears more achievable; Pochettino’s side are just five points behind the Red Devils, who are sixth with a game in hand, so a win in Yorkshire this weekend would be huge.
Everton (H) – Premier League – April 15
Everton have also been drawn into this season’s relegation scrap, so Sean Dyche will be determined to return to Merseyside with all three points. For Chelsea, this would be the perfect opportunity to build more momentum and impress supporters before facing the treble winners at Wembley.
Manchester City – FA Cup semi-final – April 20
The big one. Pochettino will be hoping to claim European qualification through Premier League ranking, but if that doesn’t work, then there’s still a ticket up for grabs if they win the FA Cup. No game against Manchester City will be easy, so Chelsea will have to be at their very best.
Arsenal (A) – Premier League – April 23
The west London outfit have the chance to really throw a cat among the pigeons here. Chelsea could derail the Gunners’ title hopes at the Emirates Stadium, although it would take something special to defeat Mikel Arteta’s side at the moment.
Aston Villa (A) – Premier League – April 27
The Blues penultimate away day of the season… If Chelsea can build their momentum ahead of this tie, then European qualification could well and truly be on the cards. Unai Emery’s side, who once looked destined to finish fourth, have looked a bit shaky recently, so the Villans are certainly there for the taking.
Meanwhile…
Aston Villa
Brentford (H) – Premier League – April 6
Lille (H) – Europa Conference League quarter-final first leg – April 11
Arsenal (A) – Premier League – April 14
Lille (H) – Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg – April 18
Bournemouth (A) – Premier League – April 21
Tottenham Hotspur
Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League – April 7
Newcastle (A) – Premier League – April 13
Arsenal (H) – Premier League – April 28
Liverpool (A) – Premier League – May 4
Burnley (H) – Premier League – May 11
Manchester United
Liverpool (H) – Premier League – April 7
Bournemouth (A) – Premier League – April 13
Coventry City – FA Cup semi-final – April 21
Sheffield United (H) – Premier League – April 24
Burnley (H) – Premier League – April 27
West Ham
Wolves (A) – Premier League – April 6
Bayer Leverkusen (A) – Europa League quarter-final first leg – April 11
Fulham (H) – Premier League – April 14
Bayer Leverkusen (H) – Europa League quarter-final second leg – April 18
Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League – April 21
Newcastle
Fulham (A) – Premier League – April 6
Tottenham Hotspur (H) – Premier League – April 13
Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League – April 24
Sheffield United (H) – Premier League – April 27
Burnley (A) – Premier League – May 4
Brighton
Arsenal (H) – Premier League – April 6
Burnley (A) – Premier League – April 13
Manchester City (H) – Premier League – April 25
Bournemouth (A) – Premier League – April 28
Aston Villa (H) – Premier League – May 4
