
Chelsea went into the 2024/25 season with high hopes of improving on their sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last time around.
After briefly sparking title talk following a good run of form, a slight wobble over the festive period triggered a renewed sense of reality at Stamford Bridge.
Finishing in the top four remains an achievable target for the Blues and online bookmakers fancy their chances of getting the job done.
Chelsea are rated as 4/11 shots by Betway Sportsbook to qualify for the Champions League, highlighting the strong position they have worked themselves into.
However, a quick look at their remaining fixtures suggests Enzo Maresca’s side have a tough task ahead of them during the final few months of the season.
The following eight fixtures all have the potential to be tricky, and Chelsea will need to be at their best to garner a healthy points tally from them.
- Manchester City (A) – January 25
- Aston Villa (A) – February 22
- Arsenal (A) – March 15
- Tottenham Hotspur (H) – April 2
- Liverpool (H) – May 3
- Newcastle United (A) – May 10
- Manchester United (H) – May 18
- Nottingham Forest (A) – May 25
Chelsea’s trip to Manchester City at the end of January could be a key game in determining which team finishes in the top four this season.
City have made a mess of their bid to win a fifth successive title, but will be eager to string together a strong run of results in the second half of the season.
If Maresca’s side can take something from the Etihad Stadium, it would keep them firmly in contention for Champions League qualification.
The fixtures at Aston Villa and Arsenal in February and March could also blow a hole in Chelsea’s bid to book a place in UEFA’s elite club competition.
Villa are having another productive season under manager Unai Emery and have ambitions of securing a second successive top-four finish.
The Gunners have even loftier aims, with a Premier League title success still achievable if they can bridge the gap to table-topping Liverpool over the next few months.
Both games will be tough for Chelsea and they will be eager to safely navigate their way though them ahead of the final two months of the campaign.
The home game against Tottenham Hotspur is Chelsea’s toughest test in April, but playing at Stamford Bridge should give them the edge in that one.
Chelsea’s May schedule is packed with possible banana skins, with each of their four fixtures likely to have something riding on the outcome.
They kick off the month with a home against title-chasing Liverpool, before visiting European qualification contenders Newcastle United the following week.
Their final home game is against Manchester United on May 18, which will not be easy despite the Red Devils’ inconsistent form this season.
Nottingham Forest will also provide a tough test at the City Ground on May 25 in a fixture which could deliver plenty of fireworks.
Forest have been the surprise package in the Premier League this season and could easily head into their final game with something major to play for.
Having done well during the first half of the season, Chelsea will be hoping their tricky remaining schedule does not scupper their hopes of securing Champions League qualification for 2025/26.
