The race for the top five positions in the Premier League is intensifying, with fifth place anticipated to secure a spot in the Champions League this season. Former England striker and renowned football pundit, Gary Lineker, has made his prediction on where Chelsea will finish in Premier League table.
At present, Chelsea occupies fourth place despite their inability to secure victories against Leeds United and Burnley. In both matches, Chelsea took an early lead but failed to maintain it against these newly-promoted teams resulting in draws.
Chelsea currently shares its 45-point tally with Manchester United and Liverpool. Michael Carrick's side is set for a match against Everton away from home tonight. Steven Gerrard has tipped Chelsea as favourites for the fifth position. The return of Cole Palmer from injury was expected to boost Chelsea's chances significantly. However, their recent results have put a damper on their campaign. Liam Rosenior expressed his disappointment after the draw against Burnley by stating that his team had "set fire" to four points over the last two games.
Lineker predicts sixth place finish for Blues
With dropped points and an upcoming challenging run of Premier League matches ahead, it seems like a tough road lies ahead for The Blues in their quest for Champions League qualification. In an episode of "The Rest Is Football", hosted by Micah Richards, Lineker was asked about his predictions regarding the top five spots this season. He backed Aston Villa to retain third place while predicting Manchester United would clinch fourth position.
Gary Lineker, Premier League legend, said:
“Villa probably [get third]. They have a decent enough squad. Then it’s probably two from three. Man United play tonight, they all have 45 points. The way they’re going, they don’t have much depth. But if they keep injury free, I think United will take one of them. Then between Chelsea and Liverpool for the other spot, as long as United don’t get injuries because I don’t think they cope with that,” he added.
“I do think we will get five Champions League spots. Chelsea and Liverpool are erratic. If you pinned me against a wall and told me to pick a top five; Arsenal, City, Villa, Man United, Liverpool. Chelsea miss out.”
Lineker believes Liverpool will edge out Chelsea for fifth place which implies that he predicts a sixth-place finish for The Blues - quite contrary to popular opinion given current standings and performances. This prediction comes as quite surprising considering how well-positioned they are at present but only time will tell if Lineker's forecast holds true. For now, Chelsea fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike will be eagerly watching the upcoming matches to see how the Premier League season unfolds.
