Tonight, the Blues face Middlesbrough in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, before Friday's meeting with Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Chelsea have home advantage in both ties, but Championship side Boro come to Stamford Bridge with a 1-0 lead from the first leg, while Villa are already out of sight in the League, so Pochettino's side can hardly count on safe passage in either game.
Lose both and Chelsea's season would be as good as over by the halfway point for a second year running, leaving Pochettino's stuttering project on the brink. But continue their recent uptick-wins over Fulham, Luton and Crystal Palace in the League - with two more, and Chelsea will be able to look ahead with renewed optimism: a day out a Wembley against Fulham or Liverpool, an FA Cup run and, perhaps, a push for Europe.
This story is from the January 23, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the January 23, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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