"According to Opta, the Blues only have a 44.3% chance of finishing inside the top five, which is lower than the percentages that their rivals Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal have been given. Opta also thinks that Villa have a significantly better chance of finishing above the Blues, which does make sense."
"Right now, Unai Emery's side sit third in the Premier League table and are six points above Chelsea. It is not the largest gap, but Rosenior's men have some very hard games coming up, starting with Arsenal. Chelsea will be without Wesley Fofana for that fixture as well following his dismissal in their 1-1 draw with Burnley last weekend."
"After their trip to the Emirates to play Arsenal, Chelsea have another tough away game against Villa. Following their match versus the Villans, the Club World Cup winners will then face Newcastle United, Everton and Manchester United. These are far from easy fixtures, and by the time Chelsea get through them, they could be out of the race for Champions League qualification."
Opta's statistical analysis indicates Chelsea has the lowest probability among top contenders of securing a top-five Premier League finish with just 44.3% likelihood. Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Aston Villa all have higher probabilities of finishing above Chelsea. Villa currently sits third, six points ahead of Chelsea, with manager Unai Emery's side showing stronger form. Chelsea faces a challenging fixture list including Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Everton, and Manchester United. The team's recent struggles with surrendering leads and receiving dismissals, exemplified by Wesley Fofana's red card against Burnley, compound their difficulties in the race for Champions League qualification.
Read at The Chelsea Chronicle
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