For the first time since 2017/18, Chelsea won't be playing in the Champions League next year. This season will be the fourth time in the past decade that the club have fallen out of Europe's premier club competition.
Having qualified via the top four for every season between 2003/04 and 2010/11, it is quite the drop-off with two finishes of tenth or below on the cards in the past five seasons as well. Although the Blues can still salvage a top half finish they have a ceiling of eighth and even that would require Aston Villa not to pick up any more points.
They are already 40 points off first-placed Manchester City and the gap is only expected to get bigger with the remaining games away to Pep Guardiola's men, Manchester United and Newcastle still to visit SW6. The 50 point 2015/16 tally is in sight but doesn't set much of a high bar.
