Analysing Chelsea's remaining Premier League fixtures and their chances of finishing in the top four | Premier League 2019-20

There was a sense of relief amongst the away crowd at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday when Marcos Alonso headed past Aaron Ramsdale in the 85th minute to level the scores. Chelsea, like several times before this season, had squandered a lead and were trailing Bournemouth by two goals to one, before the Spanish wing-back saved the day for Frank Lampard and Co.

Despite suffering another setback, the Blues maintained their hold on the fourth place in the league table, with the other teams unable to take advantage of their slip-up. Chelsea, however, are losing ground at the worst possible time with the race to finish in the European spots this season heating up.

With as many as seven teams challenging for two spots, we take a look at the London side's chances of qualifying for Europe's premier competition - the UEFA Champions League - next season.

Past Form

If one were to look at the current Premier League table without having any knowledge of the season before this point, one would give plaudits to Frank Lampard for doing a great job. The former England international has helped Chelsea move up to the fourth position, despite losing Eden Hazard, a player regarded by him as the best in the league during his stint.

Furthermore, Lampard was unable to reinforce his team following the loss of Hazard due to a transfer ban issued by FIFA. As a result, the Blues' boss had to rely upon academy talent this season, with the likes of Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, and Reece James being integrated into the first team.

Chelsea's hold over one of the Champions League spots in the table was strengthened owing to their early form, which even saw them win six straight games at one point. However, Lampard's side has struggled ever since the turn of the year and have only registered two wins in their last eight matches.

Inconsistency has been one of the main issues for the Blues throughout the second half of the campaign, which in turn has allowed their rivals to close the points gap. Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur, who were far behind the Blues in the first half of the season, are now within touching distance.

Remaining Fixtures

With 10 matches remaining, Chelsea's fixtures look easy on paper. The Premier League, however, is infamous for producing several shocks throughout a campaign and with Lampard's men struggling against lower-ranked opponents, nothing is certain.

Nevertheless, as per the league's fixture difficult ranking, a tool used specifically in Fantasy Premier League, Chelsea currently have an average fixture difficulty of 2.7 out of 5 over the next 10 games. As such, the Blues have the easiest run-in among the teams vying for a European spot per the algorithm.

In their next 10 games, Chelsea will face five of the current bottom-half sides - Aston Villa, West Ham United, Watford, Crystal Palace, and Norwich. The London side has won their previous matches against all the teams bar West Ham, who shocked their rivals with a 1-0 win earlier this season. Nonetheless, Lampard will expect his side to secure maximum points from the aforementioned fixtures to help strengthen their hold on a European spot.

The troubling notion for the Blues, however, is that they still have to face five in-form sides in their remaining matches, including both Manchester City and Liverpool. They will also face Everton, Wolves, and Sheffield United in the coming months.

In comparison, Lampard's side has registered only one victory against the teams mentioned above this season - a 2-5 win away at Wolves. They have already lost to Manchester City, Liverpool, and Everton, while also drawing at home against Sheffield United in a game which saw them squander a two-goal lead.

Verdict

There is no doubt that Frank Lampard has been extremely unlucky in his first year at Chelsea. The club legend had to cope with the loss of star man Eden Hazard whilst also serving a transfer ban. Injuries to several key players throughout the season only made matters worse, with players such as Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Antonio Rudiger, and N'Golo Kante all spending considerable time on the sidelines.

Nevertheless, the Blues will be boosted by the returning stars during the business end of their campaign. Moreover, with the London side unlikely to take any further part in the UEFA Champions League, their fixture pile-up may ease up a bit, thereby lessening the physical toll on the players. A reprieve could also be handed to them if Manchester City's ban from European competitions next season upholds, potentially allowing the fifth-placed team to qualify for the premier tournament.

When it comes to fixtures, their run-in may look easier as compared to their rivals on paper but Lampard will have to be wary of any potential slip-ups. Given Chelsea's form currently, they cannot take any side for granted and will have to reproduce their early-season form to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next year.