'To be quite honest': Craig Burley predicts whether Chelsea will finish in the top four this season
Craig Burley has delivered his verdict on whether or not he thinks Chelsea can finish in the top four of the Premier League this season.
Chelsea have had back-to-back seasons finishing outside of the Champions League positions, so can this new-look squad at Stamford Bridge get back into the Premier League’s top four this campaign?
Speaking via BBC Sport before the season kicked off, Pat Nevin predicted Chelsea to finish fourth this year. Blues head coach Enzo Maresca certainly has big expectation on his shoulders during his first senior role in the top division.
- READ MORE: Pep Guardiola predicts where he thinks Chelsea could finish in the Premier League this season
Craig Burley prediction on Chelsea
ESPN pundit Craig Burley doesn’t think Chelsea will end up finishing inside the Premier League’s top four after watching them in the opening weeks of the season.
So far, the Blues have been a real mixed bag in their opening three league matches. They were emphatic in thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-2, but that’s been accompanied by losing to Manchester City and a draw versus Crystal Palace.
When asked about Chelsea’s chances of finishing in the top four, Burley told ESPN: “I think unlikely. Tottenham have got their own issues, but then you have go Aston Villa, you have got Newcastle United. You can throw Man United in there. Are they better?
“Maybe they are holding their hopes that Villa have got the Champions League to play this year. I think it’s unlikely Chelsea would get top four, to be quite honest with you.”
Chelsea’s league fixtures after the international break
When Chelsea return after the two-week break, they will play four league matches in their run of fixtures before the October internationals.
Here is a look at the upcoming fixtures for Maresca’s side…
- Bournemouth vs Chelsea, 14 September (Premier League)
- Chelsea vs Barrow, 17 September (Carabao Cup)
- West Ham vs Chelsea, 21 September (Premier League)
- Chelsea vs Brighton, 28 September (Premier League)
- Chelsea vs Gent, 3 October (Conference League)
- Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest, 6 October (Premier League)
On paper, Chelsea should be getting a healthy points return from the league games with Bournemouth, West Ham, Brighton and Forest. It certainly feels like a great opportunity to put a run together and climb up the division table.
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