The 5 Matches That Could Decide Chelsea's European Hopes for 2013-14

Chelsea may still be in the FA Cup and the Europa League, but the Blues’ main focus in the remaining weeks of the season will be on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League and, as a result, qualification for the Champions League in 2013-14.

It’s an aim that the Londoners should achieve as, following Tottenham’s defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, third place is well within their reach. The Blues also have the advantage of a five-point lead over fifth-placed Arsenal which, given the Gunners’ inconsistent form this term, they ought to be able maintain, if not extend further.

Chelsea’s run-in, too, gives cause for hope. The Blues have a couple of straightforward-looking home games coming up against West Ham and Sunderland, as well as not-especially-daunting trips to Southampton, Fulham and Aston Villa. These are games from which Rafa Benitez’s men should pick up vital points in their quest for third or fourth place.

However, Chelsea do have a number of trickier fixtures as well, which we will take a deeper look at in the following slideshow:

1. Tottenham (Home), Sunday 14 April

When Chelsea won 4-2 at Tottenham back in October last year, it was, in many ways, the high point of the Blues’ season. After a sensational performance, full of inspired, counter-attacking play decorated by some fabulous goals, Roberto Di Matteo’s team were hailed as champions-elect in many quarters.

It might be an exaggeration to say it’s all gone pear-shaped for Chelsea since then, but the Blues’ campaign has certainly taken a sharp nosedive since that heady early autumn afternoon at White Hart Lane. So much so, in fact, that the outcome of this reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge could determine to a large extent whether Chelsea even make it into next season’s Champions League, all thoughts of the Premier League title returning to SW6 having long ago been abandoned.

Chelsea, though, will not go into this match—which, if the Blues progress to the FA Cup semi-final, will be moved to later in the season—with any trepidation, simply because of the weight of history in this encounter. Incredibly, you have to go back to 1992 for Tottenham’s last victory at the Bridge, a certain Gary Lineker popping up with a late winner on that occasion.

Make no mistake, that sort of record can’t easily be ignored and will influence the thinking of both sets of players going into this match, whenever it is played. Having already racked up a league "double" against Arsenal, Chelsea will be keen to do the same to Tottenham, and they should just have enough to make it a clean sweep against the two North London sides.       

Prediction: Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1

2. Liverpool (Away), Sunday 21 April

Traditionally, Anfield has not been a happy hunting ground for Chelsea. The Blues failed to win in the league there for 57 years from 1935-92 and have only fared slightly better in the Premier League era, taking all three points just four times.

Chelsea’s recent record against Liverpool is not good either, the Blues winning just one of the last six encounters between the clubs since Fernando Torres left Anfield for Stamford Bridge in January 2011. Ah yes, Torres. The Spaniard has had his occasional moments in a Chelsea shirt, but none of them have come in matches against his old employers, and Rafa Benitez would be well-advised to leave the former Kop hero on the bench for this one.

The Blues, meanwhile, will need to keep a close eye on former striker Daniel Sturridge. You get the impression that the England man will have a point to prove against his old club. Such has been his form since he left the Bridge, you don’t have to be Mystic Meg to see him getting on the scoresheet here.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 1 

3. Swansea City (Home), Saturday 27 April

Swansea have proved to be a bit of a bogey side for Chelsea since they were promoted to the Premier League in 2012.

In five meetings between the clubs since then, the Blues have managed just one victory—a 4-1 triumph in the corresponding fixture at Stamford Bridge last term. This season, the clubs have met three times and Chelsea have found the Swans to be extremely frustrating opponents, as they've limited the Blues to a single goal in those encounters.

Chelsea, then, will need to find a way to penetrate the Welsh side’s well-organised defence, while at the same time being aware of the threat posed by the likes of Michu, Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge when Swansea break. Consequently, this could well be a bit of a cat-and-mouse affair, with Chelsea dominating possession while Swansea soak up pressure and look to launch fast counter-attacks. 

The Blues will be keen to exact revenge for their defeat by the Swans in the League Cup semi-final—a tie best remembered for the bizarre sending off of Eden Hazard after he tangled with a time-wasting Liberty Stadium ball boy—and they should just edge this one.

Prediction: Chelsea 1 Swansea City 0

4. Manchester United (Away), Saturday 4 May

On paper, this is Chelsea’s most difficult game in their end-of-season run-in. Old Trafford is always a tricky ground to claim points from, and although the Blues have a better record there than most clubs, they have lost at the home of the Red Devils in their last two league visits. 

However, the timing of this fixture might just play into the Londoners’ hands, negating United’s home advantage. With only two games to play after this one, the most likely scenario is that Sir Alex Ferguson’s men will already have the Premier League title sewn up and will, consequently, be in celebration mode.

Should that be the case, it’s debatable whether the United boss would make wholesale changes for this game—after all, Fergie’s competitive instinct is such that he will always want to get one over his old adversary Rafa Benitez—but it’s also reasonable to assume the Blues won’t be facing a fully fired-up United first XI.

Chelsea, then, should be capable of getting something from this game, although they will do extremely well to avenge the agonising and highly controversial 3-2 defeat they suffered to United in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge.  

Prediction: Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1

5. Everton (Home), Sunday 19 May

Stamford Bridge will be a nervous place if the Blues need to get something from this game to ensure they are mixing it with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich next season rather than facing obscure outfits with unpronounceable names from Belarus, Lithuania and Slovenia in the dreaded Europa League.

If it does go to the wire, Chelsea might well have chosen slightly less tricky final-day opposition than Everton, the Toffees having lost just once in their last six league visits to West London.

On the other hand, David Moyes’ men looked utterly spent during their shock 3-0 defeat to Wigan last weekend and, if that slump in form continues to the end of the season, they could provide easy pickings for the home side.

In all likelihood, this will be Frank Lampard’s last game in a Chelsea shirt, so a cracking atmosphere will be guaranteed as Blues fans pay loud tribute to one of the club’s best-ever players. If Lamps could grab the winner here, securing Champions League qualification for the Blues in the process (and perhaps eclipsing Bobby Tambling’s longstanding all-time club scoring record as well), that would surely be a fitting end to one of the truly great Chelsea careers. 

Prediction: Chelsea 3 Everton 1