Former Chelsea star makes shock top four prediction after Man City defeat

01/27/2025 11:49 AM

Chris Sutton has predicted that Chelsea will fail to finish in the Premier League top four, with a shock team making the cut instead.

As ever, the race to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League is incredibly close, though it is not just the usual suspects involved.

Liverpool and Arsenal look nailed on for a spot, with this season’s surprise package Nottingham Forest just behind the title contenders on 44 points.

Manchester City and Newcastle are on 41 points, followed closely by Chelsea and Bournemouth on 40, with eighth-place Aston Villa a further three points behind.

The Blues started the weekend in the top four and could have consolidated their place if they had beaten the Citizens at the Etihad, but despite taking an early lead they fell to a 3-1 defeat.

Enzo Maresca and his side have surpassed all expectations this season and were considered title contenders just last month, but a run of just one win in seven games has ended that dream.

Finishing in the top four would still be a great achievement for the club given their struggles over the past two seasons, but former Chelsea star Sutton doesn’t think they’ll make it.

Asked to predict the final top four (in order), the ex-striker told the It’s All Kicking Off! podcast: ‘Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, Bournemouth.

‘Bournemouth are one of the stories of the season. I don’t think anybody saw a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest. Bournemouth are seventh now in the Premier League, absolutely flying.

‘They’ve got so many injuries, imagine when they get the full team back!’

The Cherries have never qualified for Europe in their 126 year history, with ninth their highest finish in the Premier League, so it would be a remarkable achievement for Andoni Iraola to guide them to the UCL.

As for Chelsea’s chances, Gary Neville admitted the side had defied expectations so far, but believes the team still lack the killer instinct needed in top sides.

‘There’s a lot of talent out on that pitch and they’re ahead of teams in terms of talent like Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth who are doing unbelievably well, Manchester United, Tottenham,’ the Man Utd legend said after the loss at the Etihad.

‘I never thought they could win the league this year so I’m not expecting them to win every single match.

‘But if you score a goal, if you can see that the other team are vulnerable, if you sense there is a nervousness in the ground, you have to be able to adapt.

‘There’s some experience out there, Caicedo, Fernandez, Cole Palmer, Reece James… they must have sensed that at that point in the game that you had to go for the jugular.

‘They missed a real opportunity because they didn’t smell the football match. Chelsea let them [City] off the hook and that’s something that comes down to mentality, something that the coach has got to develop in the team.’

The Blues will look to bounce back when they host West Ham next Monday.

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