Chelsea still have double top five Champions League advantage which could save Enzo Maresca

Everton represents the most straightforward remaining fixture, especially since they lack motivation with nothing on the line. While a disciplined, defensive setup from David Moyes can trouble anyone, West Ham’s recent form has slightly dipped (despite a win over Forest and a tough schedule). Moyes also has an infamously poor record against top teams away from home.

If Chelsea get past Everton, European qualification is within reach, followed by an away tie against Djurgarden. Confidence will be high that even a rotated squad can handle a side sitting ninth in the Swedish league after just five matches of their campaign.

Next up is Liverpool. They’ll clinch the title this weekend even with a draw against Tottenham at Anfield. Spurs are distracted by their own European pursuits and have offered little resistance lately, not even troubling Wolves. Perhaps West Ham pose more of a threat to Postecoglou’s side.

By the time Liverpool face Chelsea, they’re likely to already be champions. Even in the unlikely event of a loss to Spurs, Arsenal would still need to defeat Bournemouth, which falls between their Champions League semi-final ties with PSG.

This means Liverpool will only be chasing dominance when they visit Chelsea — still an advantage of sorts for the home team. It might be optimistic, but there’s more to gain.

After Liverpool (and hosting Djurgarden), Chelsea travel to Newcastle. Prospects there are slim — it’s one of the hardest places to get a result, and Newcastle are laser-focused on league results. Still, they were just dismantled by Aston Villa.

Then comes Manchester United. Regardless of whether they advance in the Europa League, Amorim’s team will view this match as secondary, playing only for pride. If they’ve made the final, they’ll want to conserve energy. If not, their season is effectively over.

Chelsea’s recent record against United is poor, but they did win this fixture last season. This time, with so much at stake, there’s no valid reason not to repeat that result.