BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson has backed Chelsea to finish in the fourth position in the Premier League despite their inconsistent run of form over the past few months. The west London giants have not been able to win two league games on the bounce since the November international break but they are still clinging onto the fourth spot as the teams below them have failed to capitalise on their shortcomings.
The Blues are currently just two points ahead of fifth-placed Sheffield United on the standings but the Blades have played an extra game more. Still, they can’t afford to continue with the same run of form from recent months, given the margin between them and ninth-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers has come down to six points.
After the winter break, the Capital outfit have back-to-back home games against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and the matches could make-or-break their chances of making the top-four. Obviously, the Blues generally tend to perform better against the big teams but they have had an average home record this term with just five wins from 12 league matches.
As such, they don’t seem to hold the same dominance at Stamford Bridge from the yesteryears and will need to work hard to get maximum points from the forthcoming games. Shortly after, they have another home game against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. The Blues will need to make the most of the first leg of the round of 16 clash and ensure that they avoid conceding an away goal.