Chelsea two games away from nightmare Enzo Maresca scenario in race for top-four

Chelsea’s task of qualifying for the Champions League became slightly more challenging after this weekend’s results.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the Premier League, with Enzo Fernandez scoring what proved to be a goal in vain at Villa Park.

The defeat leaves Chelsea in seventh place in the top flight standings, with Newcastle United’s win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday seeing them drop down the table.

Enzo Maresca’s side will now prepare for matches against Southampton and Leicester City over their next two matches. During those games, Chelsea will be mindful of a potential nightmare scenario that may unfold.

Moises Caicedo has been a key player for Chelsea throughout the season, but is in danger of being on the sidelines in the near future. Caicedo has eight yellow cards to his name in the Premier League this season, picking up a booking in the closing stages of the defeat to Villa.

Top-flight rules state that players who pick up 10 yellow cards across the first 32 league matches of a season will serve a two-game ban. As a result, if Caicedo earns two more yellow cards across Chelsea’s next six matches then he would be handed a two-match suspension.

At present, Chelsea’s 32nd Premier League fixture is scheduled to be against Ipswich Town on April 12. In that time, the Blues will face Southampton, Leicester, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, as well as the Tractor Boys.

Chelsea and Caicedo will hope that the Ecuador international will avoid getting a yellow card over the next few weeks in the Premier League to avoid being handed an unwelcome suspension. Caicedo has started all 26 of the Blues’ top-flight matches this season, playing the full 90 minutes in all but four of them.

Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana and Pedro Neto are all on six bookings, while Nicolas Jackson and Robert Sanchez are on five and still mathematically at risk of suspension.