How many points does Chelsea need to qualify: The Blues have a crucial few games ahead of them if they want to guarantee Champions League football next season.
Thomas Tuchel is in for a busy few weeks. Chelsea faces Liverpool in the FA Cup final this weekend, as the Blues hope to finish the season on a high note, while also confirming their Champions League qualifying for next season.
It follows a dismal run of play in which the team has only won one of their last five Premier League games. The most recent test came against Wolves at home, where a two-goal lead was squandered in injury time to earn a draw.
“We told the squad to stick to the plan, to execute the match plan with more discipline and precision, and we were 2-0 up, and again we took too much risk in situations where you cannot take this type of risk,” the German coach said of the disappointing stalemate.
Counter-attacks and huge changes were welcomed. When you do this, you lose confidence and give the opponent the impression that something is conceivable when it isn’t.”
Because of their recent troubles, the teams behind Chelsea have begun to tighten the gap, forcing Chelsea to hobble to the finish line. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are the other two teams in contention for a place in the top four.
The Gunners are the team closest to the Blues, sitting fourth and one point behind them. Spurs are in fifth place, with a five-point lead and three games remaining.
To slip out of the top four altogether, both sides would have to leapfrog Tuchel’s men, with the North London derby ensuring that at least one will lose points in Chelsea’s favor.
How many points does Chelsea need to qualify
FiveThirtyEight has the Blues finishing in the top four with a 99 percent chance of ensuring qualifying.
With a five-point deficit and nine games remaining, four points would practically guarantee qualification for next season, barring a 19-goal turnaround in Tottenham’s favor. That place would be absolutely confirmed with five points.
While it hasn’t been the season many envisioned when it began, qualification for Europe’s premier tournament is a requirement, and winning the FA Cup this weekend would brighten the season’s prospects.
Premier League Table
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | PTS | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 35 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 89 | 21 | +68 | 86 | W W W W D | |
| 2 | Liverpool | 35 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 87 | 23 | +64 | 83 | D W W W D | |
| 3 | Chelsea | 35 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 70 | 31 | +39 | 67 | D L D W L | |
| 4 | Arsenal | 35 | 21 | 3 | 11 | 56 | 42 | +14 | 66 | W W W W L | |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 35 | 19 | 5 | 11 | 60 | 40 | +20 | 62 | D W D L W | |
| 6 | Manchester United | 37 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 57 | 56 | +1 | 58 | L W D L L | |
| 7 | West Ham United | 36 | 16 | 7 | 13 | 57 | 46 | +11 | 55 | W L L D L | |
| 8 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 35 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 35 | 34 | +1 | 50 | D L L L W | |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 36 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 38 | 42 | -4 | 47 | W W D L W | |
| 10 | Crystal Palace | 35 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 46 | 42 | +4 | 44 | W W D L L | |
| 11 | Aston Villa | 34 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 47 | 47 | 0 | 43 | W W D L L | |
| 12 | Brentford | 36 | 12 | 7 | 17 | 44 | 52 | -8 | 43 | W L D W W | |
| 13 | Newcastle United | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 40 | 61 | -21 | 43 | L L W W W | |
| 14 | Leicester City | 34 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 49 | 56 | -7 | 42 | L L D D L | |
| 15 | Southampton | 36 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 41 | 61 | -20 | 40 | L L D L W | |
| 16 | Everton | 34 | 10 | 5 | 19 | 37 | 56 | -19 | 35 | W W L D W | |
| 17 | Burnley | 35 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 32 | 49 | -17 | 34 | L W W W D | |
| 18 | Leeds United | 35 | 8 | 10 | 17 | 39 | 74 | -35 | 34 | L L D W D | |
| 19 | Watford | 35 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 32 | 70 | -38 | 22 | L L L L L | |
| 20 | Norwich City | 35 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 22 | 75 | -53 | 21 | L L L L W |
