Chelsea's hardest five Premier League games left in top four race as Enzo Maresca pressure mounts

After such a promising start to the 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea are in the thick of a battle to qualify for the Champions League next season. Even if it is extended to five competing clubs from England, the race is tough.

Brighton in 10th are six points from Chelsea, now sixth, and may feel that they have the right to be in the conversation after beating Enzo Maresca's side twice in a week. Aston Villa are ninth but could enter Saturday's match against the Blues just three points behind as they face Liverpool on Wednesday night.

Unai Emery's men have been less impressive this season as they balance domestic and European commitments. They are still in the mix as Fulham continue to impress and are eighth with 39 points, four fewer than Chelsea.

The more likely scrap starts at seventh with Newcastle United. They have lost three of their last five after a resurgent New Year run and are two off Chelsea. Bournemouth climbed up to fifth last weekend on goal difference whilst Manchester City asserted themselves to go to within three of Nottingham Forest.

It all sets up an intriguing last 13 matches of the season. As many as eight teams can argue they have eyes on what is possibly only two places securing a spot in the Champions League, but it could yet be three. Liverpool and Arsenal already have 60 points and 53 points respectively and look a certainty to qualify for UEFA's top European club competition.

Two teams will also get a place in the Europa League and another will enter into the Conference League. As Chelsea slide down the table, here are Maresca's toughest five remaining matches and an overview of the table at the time of writing. All teams have played 25 games:

3rd: Nottingham Forest - 47 points

4th: Manchester City - 44 points

5th: Bournemouth - 43 points

6th: Chelsea - 43 points

7th: Newcastle United - 41 points

8th: Fulham - 39 points

9th: Aston Villa - 38 points

10th: Brighton - 37 points

Chelsea toughest five Premier League matches left:

Aston Villa (A) - Saturday, February 22

Arsenal (A) - Sunday, March 16

Liverpool (H) - Saturday, May 3*

Newcastle United (A) - Saturday, May 10*

Nottingham Forest (A) - Sunday, May 25

*Subject to change

Verdict: Starting on Saturday, Chelsea do have a hard run-in. Only a few matches into the second half of the season it is only natural that they have some hard games left. Visits to Arsenal and Villa are among the toughest but perhaps the most worrying thing for Maresca is the schedule.

Chelsea have some respite with fixtures with Southampton and Leicester City to follow the visit to Villa Park. They also have to play Tottenham at home which is a game they have relished in recent years, plus the table suggests there is little to worry about.

The final four weeks of the season are really, really hard, though. Liverpool come to Stamford Bridge at the start of May and will be chasing the title. It is then away to St James' Park in a match that has brought very little success of late against Newcastle.

This could be crucial for securing a top four/five spot. Manchester United are next. Their struggles should make it an easier task but Chelsea have long struggled to beat their ostensible rivals. The fact that they have to be played and aren't one of the toughest five says a lot.

Going to the City Ground to play Forest on the final day is a nightmare scenario. If Nuno Espirito Santo's team have anything to play for then there will be a raucous atmosphere making things even harder.

Qualification looks set to go down to the wire and Chelsea just need to make sure they are in the mix at the end because current form has them dropping out and sinking. The good news is that inconsistency is the name of the game in a top four race.

Just as Newcastle - and also City, with slip-ups for Bournemouth, Forest, Fulham, and Villa - have shown, you do not have to be perfect or even close to qualify for the Champions League. That gives Chelsea hope of finding an answer to the struggles and making another surge again.

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