5 teams in danger of missing out on Champions League next season

#2 Chelsea

Chelsea have lost all four of their trips to league's top six sides so far

For all the fanfare with which Maurizio Sarri took over the helm, his ‘Sarriball’ philosophy has proved to be quiet a catastrophe with this team. Even though Chelsea did appear to grasp the concept early on by winning each of the first five games and going up to 12 games unbeaten, it has all gone downhill for him and his band of busted flushes since the 3-1 humbling by Tottenham Hotspur in late November.

The Blues have then gone on to lose to Arsenal, Wolves, Leicester City, Everton and lately Liverpool, in between the consecutive annihilations on the road to Bournemouth and Manchester City.

Such an atrocious run has not only squashed their title aspirations but also left next season’s Champions League prospects hanging by the balance. Chelsea are level on points with Arsenal, but ranked lower by virtue of an inferior goal-difference and have also played a game more.

Gonzalo Higuain’s disappointing run of just three goals from 12 appearances have prolonged Chelsea’s striker woes, while Jorginho’s arrival has produced effects contrasting to the ideas with which he was roped in. Marcos Alonso is going through a great slump since the turn of the year and Willian’s selection over Pedro despite a terrible season continues to raise questions.

Then there’s the bewildering ignorance of a promising youngster like Callum Hudson Odoi too.

All of this makes you wonder whether Chelsea have really progressed since the disappointing season under Antonio Conte last year. A Europa League triumph may help salvage some pride after such a difficult year, and now that appears to also be the only way with which Chelsea could qualify for the Champions League next season.