Chelsea concluded the weekend’s Premier League action but it was far from a joyful finale for the Blues as they surrendered more ground in the race for Champions League qualification.
Having seen Liverpool and Manchester United win before them, results which mean they now trail the former by three points and the latter by six, Chelsea were desperate to sneak something from their awkward trip to Arsenal, but ultimately came up short as they were forced to accept their place in sixth.
Finishing in the top five will almost certainly be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League and while Chelsea currently trail their competitors, plenty of twists and turns remain this season—some of which could play out this coming midweek.
Here are how the next five Premier League fixtures compare for Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
|
Man Utd (51 points) |
Liverpool (48 points) |
Chelsea (45 points) |
|---|---|---|
|
Newcastle (A) – March 4 |
Wolves (A) – March 3 |
Aston Villa (A) – March 4 |
|
Aston Villa (H) – March 15 |
Tottenham (H) – March 15 |
Newcastle (H) – March 14 |
|
Bournemouth (A) – March 20 |
Brighton (A) – March 21 |
Everton (A) – March 21 |
|
Leeds (H) – April 11 |
Fulham (H) – April 11 |
Man City (H) – April 11 |
|
Chelsea (A) – April 18 |
Everton (A) – April 18 |
Man Utd (H) – April 18 |
Liverpool undoubtedly boast the simplest Premier League fixtures across their next five. There are some awkward encounters, of course, especially for a side struggling to consistently produce quality performances, but a trip to last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night marks the beginning of a favorable streak.
After an FA Cup tie with Wolves and their Champions League last 16 first leg with Galatasaray, the Reds then face another relegation-threatened outfit in Tottenham Hotspur. The struggling Lilywhites have a poor record at Anfield and are in truly dismal form.
Brighton & Hove Albion, who Liverpool have already beaten twice this term, await before the March international break, while Fulham are their opponents after the hiatus. In what is a much tougher fixture for the Reds than others in the Premier League, the Merseyside derby with Everton closes out the next five.
Man Utd have tougher fixtures than Liverpool over the next six weeks, but they have the added bonus of not playing European football or FA Cup games for the remainder of the season. By the time Liverpool finish up for the March international break, they will have played six games to just three for Michael Carrick’s men.
The Red Devils are also in midweek action as they make the arduous trip to Tyneside to face Newcastle United, who can hardly be relied upon from week to week. The inconsistent Magpies are followed by an Aston Villa team suffering a downturn in form and potentially being dragged into the scrap for Champions League qualification themselves.
The battle with Bournemouth before the internationals will pose a challenge, as will the rivalry with Leeds United upon the Red Devils’ return. A critical match follows as United make the trip to Chelsea in what could be deemed a six-pointer in the race for the Champions League.
That fixture marks one of five difficult duels for Chelsea, who have a rotten run of matches on the horizon. Even disregarding their upcoming Champions League last 16 clashes with reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, the Blues are in for some uncomfortable outings.
They continue a horrible Premier League run that started away at Arsenal by facing Aston Villa, who won the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge, and then Newcastle lie in wait for Liam Rosenior and his players. Those two matches could end in defeat as easily as they could victory.
A slightly easier fixture falls just before the international period, with Chelsea facing Everton, but clashes at home against Manchester City and Man Utd come in April. The Blues do tend to up their game against the division’s best, but they could be more or less eliminated from the Champions League race should they stumble repeatedly over their next five.
