The Premier League is drawing to a close and there is still something left to play for at both ends of the table. Swansea City are currently four points clear of the relegation zone, but as they have to play two of the three teams below them, their position is far from secure. Meanwhile, their opponents this weekend have a small chance of finishing in the top four. Although it seems unlikely, they won’t have given up hope and a win this weekend will put the pressure on the teams ahead of them.
Despite the struggles of the bottom three, Swansea haven’t been able to move clear of danger, as they Welsh club haven’t won any of their last five Premier League matches. Carlos Carvalhal had a good start to life as manager, but his momentum has now been lost and there will be a section of the support that are glancing nervously over their shoulders with only four matches left to play. Their fate is in their own hands, but their level of performance will need to improve if they are to survive in the top-flight for another year.
Chelsea’s title defence has been underwhelming at best and it looks unlikely that they will be able to qualify for next season’s Champions League unless there is a huge turnaround over the coming weeks. At the time of writing, they are five points behind Tottenham and the Blues must win their remaining fixtures to even stand a chance. Antonio Conte’s future looks uncertain, but his team did qualify for the FA Cup final last weekend and that could provide the momentum required to finish the season strongly.
Interesting stats
- Swansea have only scored two goals in their last six matches across all competitions. They will need to show improvement over the coming weeks if they are to stay up comfortably.
- Last weekend was the first time that Chelsea had kept a clean sheet in 11 matches.
Key Men
Ayew
Although the team have struggled to break opposition sides down this season, Jordan Ayew has impressed in a forward role under Carlos Carvalhal. He arrived in England as a player with potential, but he failed to live up to the hype while at Aston Villa. There was a fear that he would never make the grade in the Premier League after being relegated as part of one of the worst teams in recent history. However, he was given a chance by Swansea and after a slow start, he has emerged as one of the key players. This season, he has scored seven goals in the league and they have been vital in keeping the Swans afloat for now. Chelsea aren’t the most convincing at the back this season and Ayew’s pace and movement could cause them problems on Saturday.
Hazard
Eden Hazard hasn’t had the best season in terms of goals and assists, but he has consistently impacted matches in a positive manner. There is nobody better at causing havoc while running with the ball as he can beat defenders at will. The best players often up their game and take responsibility in big matches. The Belgian international certainly did that last weekend, as he completed nine dribbles and made five key passes. He was nearly unplayable and he had a telling impact on the game as he got the assist for the opening goal. This may not be an important match, but Hazard will want to have a big part to play over the summer and he benefit from going into the World Cup in good form.
Team News
Swansea face a defensive crisis this weekend with Federico Fernandez and Kyle Bartley both set for scans to assess injuries. Luciano Narsingh is a doubt for the home side, while Renato Sanches, Leroy Fer and Wilfred Bony remain on the treatment table.
Danny Drinkwater and Ethan Ampadu remain out injured. Neither will be able to play a part this weekend. However, David Luiz is getting closer to a return. Olivier Giroud is set for a Premier League recall after three goals in his last two matches.
Verdict
Carvalhal will be hoping that the home support is enough to coax a performance out of his players. Chelsea have been far from unbeatable this season and have lost matches against Watford, West Ham United and Bournemouth this season. It could be that the visitors have their focus on the FA Cup final and let their performance levels drop as a result. That said, they have been steadily improving during recent weeks and they will be keen to continue their upturn in form. Given their lack of threat shown by the home side recently, an away win appears the most likely result.
Swansea City 0-2 Chelsea
