Chelsea's chances of finishing in top three at stake as Blues face Tottenham in crucial encounter

A big game awaits in the Premier League when Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Both teams started the season on different trajectories but a lot has changed in recent months.

While Chelsea were primed to challenge for the title after winning the UEFA Champions League last season, Spurs have had to contend with managerial changes that destabilized the team.

But with more than half of the league matches played, there’s very little to separate the two teams at the moment. The Blues sit in third place and are eight points above their London rivals. However, Tottenham have four games in hand.

This changes the dynamics altogether going into Sunday’s game at Stamford Bridge.

Thomas Tuchel’s side appears to have dipped in form in recent weeks but the situation is the exact opposite for Spurs, who are unbeaten in the league under Antonio Conte.

Blues' top-three hopes in the balance

The West London club have seen their hopes of winning the Premier League diminish in recent weeks following a run of poor results.

To this end, the Blues are now aiming to cement their place in the top four. That said, finishing outside the top three will be a huge disappointment for Tuchel’s side.

This is a team that was meant to rival Liverpool and Manchester City but their inconsistency has allowed Pep Guardiola’s side to all but run away with the title.

And if they lose to Tottenham, it will further reduce their chances of making the top three. As it stands, the Stamford Bridge outfit are only six points above fourth-placed Manchester United, who have one game in hand.

That means the Blues could be overtaken by the Reds in the coming weeks. The Spurs could also push Chelsea further down the pecking order if they win on Sunday and also come out on top in their remaining outstanding games.

Chelsea must rise to the occasion

Tuchel has previously stated that, for as long as it is mathematically possible, Chelsea will keep fighting to win the Premier League.

As unlikely as that seems now, the Blues still have a chance to finish as close to Manchester City as possible. But to do that, they must put their poor form behind them and start winning matches again.

"It’s a bit awkward to deal with and we struggled with it," Tuchel said ahead of the game against Spurs, as quoted by Chelseafc.com.

"We struggled to find the same rhythm and consistency in our results, that’s proven, but still the way we played the games and the way we approached them was always okay.

"Everybody was exhausted, not with the same patience or the same capacity to adapt to difficult moments. It’s simply like this but it was a lesson learned and Sunday is the next moment to do better."

Indeed, this is a call to action by the Chelsea boss. It’s time for the Blues to rise to the occasion or risk missing out on a Champions League place as their top-four rivals close in.