Chelsea aim to put pressure on Spurs in top four chase

Chelsea have a golden opportunity to pile pressure on Tottenham in the race to qualify for the Champions League when the Blues face struggling Swansea tomorrow.

Antonio Conte's side travel to the Liberty Stadium boosted by clinching a place in the FA Cup final against Manchester United after beating Southampton last weekend.

Fourth placed Tottenham stand between fifth placed Chelsea and a return to the Champions League next season, making victory in south Wales essential for the deposed champions.

Chelsea are five points behind Tottenham, but their north London rivals don't play until Monday's clash with Watford, so the Blues have a chance to cut the gap to two points at least for 48 hours.

Winning the FA Cup and finishing in the Premier League's top four would be a satisfactory end to a turbulent season for Chelsea.

But it might not be enough to keep Conte in his job amid widespread reports that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is willing to part ways with the Italian after he repeatedly feuded with the club's hierarchy over their failure to back his transfer plans.

Conte has looked increasingly unhappy with life in west London in recent months, and has constantly moaned about a lack of decisive spending in the transfer market -- the one thing that never used to be a problem in Abramovich's early years at the helm.

Conte is unlikely to be out of management for long if he does go but will also know that there is no shortage of candidates to replace him.

- Mental scars -
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"Listen, between Manchester City and Chelsea it is 27 points difference, even though they are playing for the same goal. So this game has no effect - zero."