Prior to the international break, Chelsea strengthened their hopes of lifting their first piece of silverware under Mauricio Pochettino as they secured a 4-2 victory over Championship outfit Leicester City to progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.
The Blues initially threw away a two-goal lead and looked on course for extra time, but the Foxes fightback was ultimately in vain, as stoppage-time strikes from substitutes Carney Chukwuemeka and Noni Madueke ensured that Chelsea punched their ticket to Wembley for a last-four showdown with holders Manchester City next month.
Chelsea’s focus now shifts to the Premier League, with Pochettino and co determined to end the season on a high by climbing into the European positions. With 11 games remaining, the Blues currently sit 11th in the table and five points behind West Ham United in seventh, while they are eight points adrift of sixth-placed Manchester United, who they face on home soil next Thursday.
Excluding their extra-time defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, Chelsea have found a way to grind out positive results in recent weeks, winning five games and drawing another two across all competitions since February 7.
In the Premier League, Chelsea have scored in each of their last 11 matches, with only Luton Town (17) and Man City (13) currently enjoying longer scoring streak. The Blues have also excelled in front of goal against Saturday’s opponent Burnley, as they have netted at least once in their 17 top-flight meetings with the Clarets – their best such record in the division.
An immediate demotion back to the Championship is looming for Burnley, but they managed to take one huge step towards pulling off a great escape when they beat Brentford 2-1 at Turf Moor before the international break – just their fourth top-flight win of the campaign.
The Clarets’ cause was helped by the eighth-minute dismissal of Sergio Reguilon, whose foul on Vitinho allowed Jacob Bruun Larsen to convert the opener from the penalty spot. David Datro Fofana added a second just after the hour mark, before Kristoffer Ajer netted what proved to be only a consolation for the Bees six minutes from time.
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Vincent Kompany’s side gained ground on each of the five teams above them in the table last time out, but they remain in 19th place and are still five points adrift of 17th-placed Luton heading into their final nine games of the season.
Burnley are sure to have one eye on potentially pivotal fixtures against Everton and Sheffield United next month, but they must first turn their attention to Saturday’s tricky trip to Chelsea, whom they have beaten just once in their 17 previous Premier League meetings – a 3-2 away triumph in August 2017.
Interestingly, four of the five times that the Clarets have avoided a top-flight defeat against Chelsea have been at Stamford Bridge, so that should provide Kompany and co with some optimism heading into this weekend’s clash.
