Can Chelsea still make top Four?

Chelsea's display in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace must have left many of its fans scratching their head as to why the team never produced such football when Jose Mourinho was still at the club. Though Alan Pardew's team was missing key players like Bolasie, Bakary Kone and Yohan Cabaye, it was still a complete performance by the team from West London. Despite the toxic atmosphere that was ripe at the club when the Portuguese was still at the helm, it was only Willian that stood out from the rest. Since Mourinho’s departure, Diego Costa now has three goals in two league matches whereas it was just one goal in 12 matches prior to that, Oscar has suddenly rediscovered his mojo back, and Cesc Fabregas now remembers how to play through balls and key passes.

Now that the relics of Mourinho’s era is gradually fading away, the damage done still remains, one of which is the position the league's defending champions finds itself.

It is still languishing in 14th position with 23 points after the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, and more importantly 13 points behind fourth place Tottenham Hotspur.

The statistics reads two wins and two draws in the league since Mourinho was sacked, and Guus Hiddink has superintended over three of those matches.

Although they were on the back foot more most of the match against Manchester United, they still had at least two big chances to clinch all three points against Van Gaal's side.

Over the last couple of seasons, the top four race has been restricted to no more than two clubs, Arsenal have had to fight off Tottenham Hotspur several times, including clinching it over their North London rivals on three occasions on the last day of the season. In 2006, (win over Wigan 4-2, while Tottenham lost 2-1 at West Ham) 2012 (win over West Brom 3-2, while Tottenham overcame Aston Villa 2-0) and in 2013 (win over Newcastle United 1-0, while Tottenham defeated Sunderland 1-0) On these occasions it was the last day of the season, but of more significance, it was a battle between two clubs, there have been the odd battle for a fourth place finish between Everton and Liverpool in 2005, and Everton and Arsenal in 2014.

However, what makes this season intriguing is that there are as many as four to five clubs in the race to finish in the top four. Tottenham Hotspur currently occupies the last champions league spot. While Manchester United are in fifth position. While the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham and Liverpool are currently closer to the fourth position than Chelsea.

Chelsea will have to make up 13 points over current fourth place team Tottenham, which is four matches, then there is Manchester United who are 5th, but 10 points over Chelsea.

First Eight after 20 matches

1. Arsenal-----------42pts

2. Leicester----------40pts

3. Man City-----------39pts

4. Spurs---------------36pts

5. Man Utd------------33pts

6. West Ham----------32pts

7. C.Palace------------31pts

8. Liverpool-----------30pts

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14. Chelsea------------23pts

There are 18 league matches left for every team. With the inconsistent nature of the league this season, any team is capable of putting a long run of consecutive wins together to prop up the table. Yet for Chelsea, it is not whether they can put a run of wins together, which they are certainly capable off judging by the quality of the players at their disposal, but it is the number of teams that they have to overcome to the current top four position.

Manchester United in spite of their bad spell in the last two months, are still 10 points over Chelsea in 5th place, while Tottenham Hotspur have been consistent all season with just two defeats in the league, they are a team that are hard to beat.

However, even with the permutations; the possibility of finishing in the top four is a task Guus Hiddink believes is still achievable after the win over Crystal Palace.

It will take more than just positive talk though to rewrite the wrongs of this season, the road to redemption might not include a top four finish after all, but the time between now and May will tell.