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Chelsea’s consideration returned to Premier League motion yesterday night after Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali spent the ultimate days of the January switch window pulling all of the stops to safe the club-record signing of Enzo Fernandez.
The World Cup winner lastly earned his transfer to Stamford Bridge on deadline day for a charge within the area of £105million, making him, not solely the club-record signing, however the Premier League’s costliest incoming.
Regardless of the costly price ticket floating over his presence, Fernandez made his Chelsea debut in positive trend with a snug show in opposition to Fulham on Friday night, however it was a disappointing night for Graham Potter’s males total. Failure to beat Marco Silva’s cussed Fulham – who’ve now taken 4 factors off their London rivals for the primary time since 1976 – leaves them fairly the space off the UEFA Champions League locations.
READ MORE: Chelsea participant scores as Enzo Fernandez impresses on debut, Benoit Badiashile robust
The Blues are 9 factors behind Newcastle and Manchester United within the Premier League high 4 and will discover themselves 12 factors behind by the point they journey to West Ham United subsequent Saturday. Nonetheless, there stays 17 league video games for Potter’s facet to provide a surge to the higher echelon on the desk.
Right here, soccer.london takes a take a look at the upcoming matches and what might be on the playing cards for Potter and his high 4 chasing rivals.
West Ham (A) – February 11
It’s one other London derby for Chelsea, their third in 4 fixtures, as they journey to struggling West Ham. The Hammers eased the strain on supervisor David Moyes final day trip with victory over Everton however face a troublesome journey to Newcastle this afternoon.
David Moyes’ facet have confirmed to be powerful opponents for Chelsea to beat lately although and have been unlucky to not get extra from their journey to Stamford Bridge earlier this season. Chelsea have solely received three of their final eight away matches in opposition to West Ham, shedding 5.
Borussia Dortmund (A), Champions League – February 15
The return of the Champions League has snuck up on Chelsea and they are going to be hoping to welcome a few of their star gamers again for this enormous fixture. Potter is to date unbeaten within the competitors with 4 wins and a draw from his 5 matches in cost.
It was European performances that kicked his reign off and received the Blues on a optimistic run and the hope might be that the thrill of a visit to Germany can kick begin a giant push till the top of the season.
Southampton (H) – February 18
It’s one other struggling workforce subsequent up after that, and maybe extra importantly it’s a house recreation. Matches round Champions League gameweeks all the time appeal to consideration resulting from fatigue and health issues.
With two London-based fixtures in opposition to relegation-threatened sides, that is pretty much as good as Potter might have hoped for, although Nathan Jones’ Saints have solely misplaced one in every of their final 4 in all competitions. It’s nonetheless a run of only one league win in eight although.
Tottenham (A) – February 26
Chelsea’s hardest league recreation of this month comes in the direction of the again finish with a visit to Antonio Conte’s Spurs. The north Londoners have – regardless of enduring a troublesome run of late – managed to keep up their high 4 bid and are three factors behind Man United.
Previous to this recreation, Spurs face a tough run of fixtures together with one other London derby with West Ham the week earlier than. If Potter’s males are going to make a late bid to make the highest 4, defeating their Champions League rivals would do a world of fine.
Leeds (H) – March 4
The fixtures at Stamford Bridge are sort to Chelsea with three of their subsequent 4 guests all indulged within the race to stay within the Premier League. Jesse Marsch’s Leeds facet will face the Blues seeking to earn their first win in west London since December 1999.
Simply as they did final 12 months, the Whites discover themselves combating on the foot of the Premier League desk and have managed to win 4 video games all season. It’s turning into a standard theme right here, however Chelsea should come away from this fixture with nothing however three factors.
Liverpool subsequent 5 fixtures:
Wolves (A) – February 4
Everton (H) – February 13
Newcastle United (A) – February 18
Actual Madrid, Champions League (H) – February 21
Crystal Palace (A) – February 25
Manchester Metropolissubsequent 5 fixtures:
Tottenham (A) – February 5
Aston Villa (H) – February 12
Arsenal (A) – February 15
Nottingham Forest (A) – February 18
RB Leipzig, Champions League – February 22
Newcastle subsequent 5 fixtures:
West Ham (H) – February 4
Bournemouth (A) – February 11
Liverpool (H) – February 18
Man United (N), Carabao Cup ultimate – February 26
Man Metropolis (A) – March 4
Manchester Unitedsubsequent 5 fixtures:
Crystal Palace (H) – February 4
Leeds (H) – February 8
Leeds (A) – February 12
Barcelona (A), Europa League – February 16
Leicester (H) – February 19
Tottenhamsubsequent 5 fixtures:
Manchester Metropolis (H) – February 5
Leicester Metropolis (A) – February 11
AC Milan (A), Champions League – February 14
West Ham (H) – February 19
Chelsea (H) – February 26
READ NEXT:
Each phrase Graham Potter stated on Aubameyang, Chelsea transfers, Mudryk subject and Fernandez
What Enzo Fernandez did to Aleksandar Mitrovic to start out proving £106.7m value for Chelsea
Chelsea verify Champions League squad with main Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez choice made