Chelsea are on the brink of securing qualification for next season’s Champions League after their 3-0 victory at home to Watford.
The Blues took advantage of Tottenham’s surprise defeat at Bournemouth to move up to third in the Premier League. They will remain there if they win their final league fixture at Leicester next Sunday.
It may even transpire that a draw will prove enough to secure their latest top-four finish – widely considered the minimum objective for the division’s six highest-placed teams – and that there will be wider consequences that include the pressure easing on manager Maurizio Sarri.
Watford threatened to on numerous occasions in the first half but were blown away by the Blues in the second period. The game was decided by goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek, David Luiz and loanee Gonzalo Higuain.
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Luiz admits Chelsea have struggled to cope with their busy schedule but was delighted to see them get over the line on home soil.
Luiz said: “It was good for us, we got our opportunity, we scored and then we killed the game. “The schedule is tough, but when you have fantastic players, more than just 11, we can rotate and have the same quality. We have that.
It’s tough but it’s tough for everybody. “We did well to get the three points but we have to still fight until the end.”
