Football pundit Chris Sutton has advised Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino that achieving success in cup competitions could serve as a pivotal factor in salvaging the club’s season, especially following a somewhat disappointing league campaign thus far.
Fresh off securing a spot in the Carabao Cup final with a convincing 6-2 aggregate victory over Middlesbrough, Chelsea is set to engage in another cup battle this weekend. The Blues are scheduled to face the formidable Aston Villa in the fourth round of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge on Friday night.
While Unai Emery’s side has experienced a commendable Premier League season, currently holding fourth place with aspirations for Champions League qualification in 2024/25, Villa stands 12 points ahead of Chelsea in ninth position.
Although there remains optimism for Pochettino’s squad to contend for European places, possibly even challenging for Champions League positions, Sutton advocates that the team should channel their complete focus on the cup competitions.
Sutton remarked, “The cups offer a way for Chelsea to save their season, and they are already in the final of the Carabao Cup after beating Middlesbrough.” He acknowledged that Pochettino’s side has been improving, albeit not reaching the anticipated meteoric rise.
Highlighting the upcoming clash against Villa, Sutton emphasized the importance for Chelsea to go all out in the game. While acknowledging Villa’s excellent season, he expressed uncertainty about how Unai Emery’s approach might influence the match.
Reflecting on the only previous encounter between the two teams this season, which saw Chelsea succumb to a 1-0 defeat in September with Malo Gusto receiving a red card and Ollie Watkins scoring the decisive goal, Sutton admitted to occasional misjudgments about Chelsea’s performances this season. Despite this, he leans towards Chelsea edging the upcoming encounter.