Jamie Carragher has thrown Chelsea’s Champions League ambitions for the season ahead firmly into jeopardy. This comes after their humiliating 2-0 defeat by Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes’s strikes left the Blues with their tenth league defeat of the campaign. Now, their ultimate European ambitions are perched on a knife-edge. Enzo Maresca’s team are now fifth on 63 points with two games remaining.
The recent away victory at Bournemouth for Aston Villa has the Villans on the same points, increasing the fight for the fifth Champions League position. Newcastle’s win, meanwhile, pushed them up to third, one point ahead of Manchester City in fourth.
On Sky Sports, Carragher was among those who predicted Chelsea would drop points and crash out of qualifying for the Champions League next season. He said:
“Chelsea will beat Man United. It’s whether they can beat Nottingham Forest away. There will be a big atmosphere there. Maybe even if they can’t get Champions League football, I think Nottingham Forest, last game of the season, the supporters will be desperate to say almost like a big thank you for the season that they’ve had.
“They’ve got European football, great achievement. I actually think it’ll be Chelsea and Nottingham Forest who miss out, and Aston Villa get in.”
Chelsea Have Two Upcoming Premier League Finals
Chelsea’s squad will host 16th-placed Manchester United before their final match of the Premier League season at Nottingham Forest. Forest, who last competed in Europe 30 years ago, will attempt to be the Blues’ party crasher.
Meanwhile, Villa are level on points with the Blues, but still have to face Manchester United and Tottenham. Chelsea’s superior goal difference over Villa’s puts them ahead, so it is still in the Blues’ own hands to win their chances.
But the picture is complicated further by Forest, who are a point off Chelsea. Forest would be able to overtake the Blues on the last day when the two teams meet each other at the City Ground.