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Chelsea’s hopes of securing Champions League football next season are fading fast as they prepare for a crucial clash against Aston Villa on Saturday.
The Blues briefly flirted with a title challenge at the end of 2024 but have since managed just two wins in their last nine league games, suffering an early FA Cup exit along the way.
Their 3-0 defeat to Brighton last weekend was labelled the worst performance of his tenure by manager Enzo Maresca, who now faces growing concerns over the future of star midfielder Cole Palmer. Without Champions League qualification, Palmer could seek an exit in the summer.
Aston Villa, Chelsea’s weekend opponents, are also struggling for form. Despite pushing Liverpool to the limit in a thrilling 2-2 draw on Wednesday, Unai Emery’s men have slipped to ninth in the table, five points adrift of the top four.
Nottingham Forest’s remarkable campaign has seen them rise to third place with just 13 games left, but their credentials will be put to the test in the coming weeks.
A trip to Newcastle on Sunday is followed by back-to-back home fixtures against title-chasing Arsenal and Manchester City.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are battling inconsistency, having suffered consecutive league defeats before and after their League Cup semi-final success against Arsenal.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe is growing frustrated with his team’s unpredictability.
“I think we have days where we can look far from the team that we are when we’re on it,” said Howe. “It’s a real frustration for us because to be an elite team, you’ve got to be consistent.”
With both Chelsea and Forest facing defining moments in their respective seasons, this weekend’s action could have major implications on the race for European football.
