Chelsea appear to have finally clicked under Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues are able to find the back of the net with regularity, and the frequent losses that were being experienced appear to have stopped.
The last two matches have been some of the most entertaining in Premier League history, with their 4-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur and 4-4 draw against Manchester City results that the most ardent of Chelsea fans would have found difficult to predict.
However, the Blues’ momentum may have been stopped as the latest international break (and the final one for 2023) has arrived, thus halting the progress that is being experienced temporarily. But, with challenging matches against Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion on the horizon immediately after, has it come at a good time?
Predicting what might happen against Newcastle United & Brighton
In the last two years or so, it would be fair to say that Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have swapped places with Chelsea. The Magpies have turned into one of the Premier League’s top clubs, having been rewarded with a UEFA Champions League place after their top-four finish last season.
They have been a little off-the-boil in this campaign, but like Chelsea, they have had their issues. They have had a list of unavailable players as long as their arm, with many key individuals featuring on it for one reason or another. They will still have that lengthy list when they return to domestic action after the international break, too, thus making it a potentially ideal time for the Blues to play them.
Those who watch the match through a Football Live Streaming platform might not be able to expect a humdinger of a game like the previous two for Chelsea, but they could potentially witness a good outcome. Newcastle will see Bruno Guimarães return after he served his suspension, but the Magpies are likely to be without many of their other stars. They will also be returning following a defeat to Bournemouth, where they were second-best throughout the contest.
The game against Brighton might also come at a good time for the Blues. Robert De Zerbi’s side are not in the best of form at the moment in the Premier League. They may be unbeaten in their last three, but all three have been draws. Their last win in the league was back on September 24 (seven games ago). With a trip to Nottingham Forest and Athens (UEFA Europa League) before visiting London, Chelsea might find that they have a good opportunity to close the gap – if not overtake – between the two sides in the league table.
Chelsea is starting to hit good form
As mentioned, Pochettino’s side are starting to find their form and are looking like a team that is capable of getting the wins that why should be obtaining. They have had their issues, but they are beginning to look like a thing of the past.
The Blues are by no means a finished article, as they still have a lot of work to do to get back to where they rightly belong, but there is evident progress and positive things to come, including the return of players yet to even play for the club.
Chelsea may have some of their own players back available following a lengthy absence, with rumours suggesting that Romeo Lavia and Christoper Nkunku are edging closer to making their debuts. After lengthy spells out and the rest of the team playing well, they may use the games against Newcastle and Brighton to try and make an impact that forces Pochettino to consider them as starters.
Will these next two games define Chelsea’s season?
While Chelsea will go into every single game as a must-win, it is possible to argue that the fixtures against Newcastle and Brighton are among two of the most important to be played.
The clubs are teams they will compete with come the end of the season if they want to obtain European qualification. With both suffering in their own way, there is the opportunity for the Londoners to try and capitalize. Suppose they are able to get a positive result. In that case, Chelsea may feel they can boost their chances, especially as they start to head into a hectic festive period that really will truly define their 2023/24 Premier League season.
