With the international break nearly over and Premier League football due to return it's impossible to ignore the implications of entering the final stretch of the season. For Chelsea, they remain in search of moving up the table and into European qualifying positions but ultimately will hope to find their way past Real Madrid and towards Champions League glory.
For much of the Premier League, however, their focus will be on survival. Four points separate Southampton in 20th position and Crystal Palace in 12, while a number of teams in between have a range of games in hand.
With just 11 or so matches remaining of the term however, teams will also be looking towards their summer plans. Chelsea are set for a busy summer of outgoing transfers but still have plans to strengthen their ranks despite their outlay of £600million since the arrival of Todd Boehly and co.
