This time last week the discussion surrounding Chelsea was about their potential to be this season’s Premier League dark horse. Fast forward to the final whistle, at Anfield last Sunday, and that discussion felt like it had been put to bed for a while.
By Dan Tracey
Enzo Maresca’s men came out second best in an enthralling meeting on Merseyside and although they picked up nothing in the way of points, they still managed to take back some positives to West London.
Positives that come with going toe-to-toe with the current league leaders and with Nicolas Jackson’s strike soon after the break cancelling out Mohamed Salah’s penalty, there was a sense that the pendulum was swinging in the direction of the Blues.
However, a game that had plenty of ebb and flow would see another swing towards the hosts when Curtis Jones put Liverpool back in front. The goal sucked the life out of Chelsea’s fightback and was one that would go on to prove to be the difference between the two sides.
There was a huge gulf in quality on Thursday as Chelsea travelled to Panathinaikos for Matchday two in the Conference League and the Blues bounced back with a well deserved 4-1 win at the Athens Olympic Stadium.
With a European win behind them, focus now pivots back to the Premier League and the visit of a Newcastle side who have failed to win any of their last four outings in the competition – a run that sees them start the weekend lying ninth in the table.
That run was extended last Saturday and although Eddie Howe’s men huffed and puffed at home to Brighton, they failed to break down the Seagulls and a goal from the in-form Danny Welbeck continued Newcastle’s recent misery.
Large portions of the Magpies’ fanbase have been left rather frustrated this season, with the club itself finding equal frustration in the summer transfer window. A lack of world-class arrivals to continue the Tyneside project is quickly seeing Newcastle operate in reverse.
Which means they must avoid defeat at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, not only because their European aspirations cannot take another dent so early in the campaign, but also because manager Howe cannot afford to oversee another defeat.
That is not to say that the former Bournemouth manager is under any immediate pressure regarding the security of his job but with the lack of transfer activity, it’s believed in some quarters that he has been set up to fail this season.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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