Predictions show Chelsea could still get RELEGATED after latest shock defeat

Chelsea are in astonishingly poor form and Frank Lampard’s side are still at very little risk of finishing in the relegation places this season.

Chelsea, currently on 39 points with six games to play, have yet to secure 11th-placed Chelsea in the Premier League.

An own goal from veteran defender Cesar Azpilicueta and a 78th-minute goal from Bryan Mbeumo secured a historic derby win for Thomas Frank’s Brentford on Wednesday night.

The 2-0 home defeat to Brentford was Chelsea’s fifth consecutive defeat under Lampard, who was appointed caretaker manager earlier this month following the sacking of ex-Brighton flop Graham Potter.

Chelsea still have a torrid run of games ahead of them, including trips to league leaders Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Manchester United. That’s why Chelsea fans are nervously bidding their time for ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino to take over as talks progress.

Rival fans were only too happy to point out that Chelsea have not achieved the ‘magic’ 40 points that usually guarantee safety in the Premier League.

Of course there have been outliers, with West Ham United’s tally of 42 points in the 2002/03 season still not being enough to keep them afloat that year.

Last year, 18th-placed Burnley finished on 35 points, so with Chelsea four points behind, the theories may seem fantastic to most.

Nevertheless, there are possibilities to suggest that Chelsea could face an unthinkable relegation and could even sit at the bottom at the end of the season if all results went in the direction of Southampton.

After Southampton’s 3-3 blockbuster draw with Arsenal earlier this month, anything is possible.

In one scenario where all teams under Chelsea reach maximum points (while ties in ‘six-pointers’ between fellow relegation teams are allowed), Lampard’s blues could still finish 19th if they fail to win again this season.

As with Scenario 1, Everton, Leeds and Nottingham Forest all winning their remaining games, Chelsea can also cope with the drop. This scenario sheds light on these three as, unlike Leicester City, none of these teams face each other at the bottom of the relegation scrap. It would then be Leicester joining Chelsea in next year’s Championship, unlike Sean Dyche’s side.

With Southampton heading for a hypothetical six-game winning streak to end the season, Chelsea would have a good chance of getting into the Championship next year if they failed to take points from their last six games.

This remains a rather ironic prediction, however, as Southampton need to take all three points from the likes of Brighton, Newcastle and Liverpool, who are all competing for European football next year.

Ruben Selles is the third coach in charge of Southampton this season, a number only occupied by Todd Boehly’s West London club, who have had four (Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard).

For the rest of the teams currently embroiled in the thick of the battle against relegation, there are factors to consider that make the odds of either of these outcomes infinitely small.

For Leicester, Leeds and Everton in particular, the only way to top Chelsea’s current points tally is to make virtually flawless runs until the end of the season.

With all three sides facing Eddie Howe’s project in the final showdown, hopes are low, especially after their 6-1 thump against Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, despite the bookies currently advertising very high odds that Chelsea will not score a point for the rest of the season, there is natural confidence that Frank Lampard’s men will take something from relegation battlers Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

Still, Chelsea supporters are rightfully frustrated with their teams’ performance this season.

“They’re definitely worried because you’re a Chelsea fan, you’re used to 20 years of success and you want more,” said Frank Lampard after his side’s 2-0 defeat to Brentford.

“I have no problem with fan jeers. I’m not here to go against the fans by saying don’t laugh at the players, you’re throwing that question out there. Absolutely not.’

Chelsea’s top scorer this season is Kai Havertz with just seven goals. To put that in perspective, Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland scored his record 34th Premiership goal against Arsenal on Wednesday night, taking him to a whopping 49 goals in all competitions.

Chelsea’s next game is against incumbent league leaders Arsenal, who are most likely looking to stage a colossal comeback after their humiliation at The Etihad.

Tuesday’s game and Chelsea’s reaction will be a true litmus test to assess the extent of the crisis Lampard finds himself in.