Through their late-winter lull, with goals and flair in short supply, this international break took on the qualities of a distant oasis for Chelsea, one that if Enzo Maresca’s side could just reach with their Champions League hopes in tact, might just provide the refreshment to revive their season.
In the end, they managed more than that. Helped by kindly-timed home fixtures against Leicester and Southampton, the general shape of a top-four race defined by its inconsistencies, and the fact that it now looks almost certain to in fact be a sprint for the top-five, the Blues start the run-in in a strong position.
