After a run of five wins in six Premier League matches across October and November, Chelsea had pushed themselves into the conversation about possible title contenders. Then came a run of three league matches without a win (two draws and a defeat), and suddenly it appears the Blues have squandered their chance to claim their first top-flight crown since 2016/17. It might seem a little dramatic to suggest they are out of the title race this side of Christmas, but Enzo Maresca’s men are now eight points behind leaders Arsenal, and are only fifth in the table.
Okay, Arsenal dropped points themselves at the weekend, losing to Aston Villa, but that was only the second time the Gunners have slipped to defeat this term, and we can’t see too many more. Added to that, second-place Manchester City have been finding their form recently and have won eight of their last 10 in the league. We can also throw in third-place Aston Villa, who are exceeding expectations this term, typified by their deserved victory over Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on Saturday. Even Crystal Palace are ahead of Chelsea as things stand, and though we can’t see them seriously challenging for the title, the Eagles could sneak a Champions League spot.
So what now for Maresca’s men? Can they muscle their way back into title contention, or will they reassess their goals, perhaps focusing on the Champions League? Let’s take a look at the fixtures coming up for the Blues over the festive period.
Chelsea’s Winless Run
Work to do.#CFC | #LEECHE pic.twitter.com/n44Dfx8qON
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 3, 2025
The Blues’ mini winless run began with a tough one as table-topping Arsenal visited Stamford Bridge on 30th November. The match ended 1-1 as the spoils were shared, but Chelsea were disappointed not to have won, not least because they had to play with 10 men for more than half the game after a first-half red card was shown to Moises Caicedo. That sending-off resulted in a suspension to Caicedo, who has been key to Chelsea this term, and might go some way to explain their mini slump in form since.
One of Chelsea’s worst results of the season came next at Elland Road as Maresca’s men lost 3-1 to Leeds United. Daniel Farke’s West Yorkshire side had been struggling for results, despite putting in some positive performances, but they deserved this victory over title-chasing Chelsea. The Blues really weren’t hitting their A-game as the home side showed greater desire and created more chances despite Chelsea having more than 70% of the ball.
Any side can have an off day, of course, and the Blues had the chance to bounce back on Saturday when they visited a Bournemouth team who were without a Premier League win since October. Unfortunately for the Blues, things didn’t go to plan, and the Cherries put in a fantastic performance to earn a 0-0 draw. The game shared similarities with the one at Leeds in that the home side had far less of the ball but still managed to create more chances than Chelsea. It would still have been viewed as two points dropped by Maresca and his staff, and despite Arsenal losing to Villa, it was a big setback in Chelsea’s desire to at least challenge for the title this term.
Festive Fixtures to Make or Break Chelsea’s Premier League Ambitions
- Saturday 13th December – Chelsea v Everton
- Saturday 20th December – Newcastle United v Chelsea
- Saturday 27th December – Chelsea v Aston Villa
- Tuesday 30th December – Chelsea v Bournemouth
- Sunday 4th January – Manchester City v Chelsea
Chelsea’s next league match is against a side who are breathing down their neck in the table: Everton. David Moyes’ men have been playing brilliantly of late and, after four wins in five matches, are just a point behind the Blues. If Chelsea were seeking an easy match to get themselves back on track, this certainly won’t be it. With Moyes’ side now harbouring ambitions to qualify for the Europa League or even the Champions League, the visitors will be going all-out for the win in this one.
After that, the Blues face one of the toughest away days of the season as they travel to St James’ Park to face Newcastle. The Magpies haven’t been exactly flying this term, but Eddie Howe’s men will certainly want to give their fans the Christmas present of a home victory here, and after recent slips on the road, Chelsea won’t be brimming with confidence of getting the win.
The tough fixtures are coming thick and fast, and high-flying Aston Villa’s visit to Stamford Bridge is a real Champions League six-pointer. The result could have ramifications for both sides’ ambitions, and it will be a hard-fought encounter for sure.
After that, Chelsea have the chance to exact revenge on Bournemouth, and this is arguably the one match over the Christmas period the Blues can expect to win. Of course, they probably expected to beat the Cherries recently, so anything can happen. Finally, as the New Year hangovers are just about clearing, Chelsea have to visit a resurgent Manchester City at the Etihad. Even a draw would be a good result from that, but by then the Blues’ title hopes might have been well and truly dashed.