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The biggest game in the Premier League this week will see Chelsea host newly-crowned FA Cup champions Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have been a solid side since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel but back-to-back defeats in the space of three days are threatening to derail their season.
First, they lost to Arsenal, which was a huge setback in their quest for Champions League qualification. The Blues then also lost to Leicester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
While Chelsea are still reeling from missing out on the trophy, the Foxes are in a buoyant mood after winning their first-ever FA Cup and being on the verge of Champions League qualification.
Momentum on the side of Foxes
Brendan Rodgers’ side has already beaten Chelsea once and it would be a massive feat if they could repeat it on Tuesday evening.
Fortunately for Leicester City, momentum is on their side as they come into the fixture on the back of wins over Manchester United and Chelsea.
Last season, the Foxes missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day of the season when they lost to Manchester United.
This season, though, they can confirm their place in the top four if they beat Chelsea. It will be a difficult task, but Leicester City are currently flying high and can carry that momentum into the game against the Blues.
Chelsea's desperation could play into Leicester City's hands
Right after winning the FA Cup, the Foxes will be playing Chelsea for the second time in three days. But having beaten the Blues once, Rodgers’ side holds a psychological advantage over their opponents.
As it stands, Leicester City occupy third place in the Premier League and do not necessarily need to win. Should they draw with Chelsea and win their last game of the season, they’ll still qualify for the Champions League.
"It was a very important game for us at the weekend to create this legacy of being the first team to win the FA Cup for the club," Rodgers told Sky Sports during his pre-match conference.
"Now we are going into another big game for us. We want to arrive in the Champions League. We have worked so hard throughout the season and we want to take that opportunity to be in there. We know it is down to ourselves.”
The onus lies on Chelsea to take the initiative in this game. The Blues are the more desperate side and that could play into Leicester’s hands.
The Foxes are usually more efficient when they play on the counter-attack and Chelsea’s desperation only further makes them vulnerable to Rodgers’ well-oiled counter-attacking machine.
