Chelsea face Liverpool on the first day of the 2023/24 season, so we simulated the clash and the entire season to predict how Mauricio Pochettino's side could perform
Chelsea’s fixtures for the 2023/24 season have now been confirmed, and the Blues will kick off their season at home to Liverpool in the Premier League.
Last season was one to forget for Chelsea, with the Blues going through three managers before finishing 12th in the Premier League table. It was the worst-ever Premier League campaign for Chelsea, but with Mauricio Pochettino now in charge, the Blues will be hoping to get back to their best next season.
Chelsea will host Liverpool in their first game of the Premier League season before facing Bournemouth in their 38th and final match of the campaign. Their toughest run of fixtures appears to fall between October and December when Chelsea take on Arsenal, Tottenham, Man City, Newcastle and Man United in the space of seven games.
So, how could the Blues perform in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign? Let's take a look.
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2023 editor to update the Premier League with the latest teams, transfers and of course, the confirmed fixtures. Using FM23 to run the simulation, we then simulated the entire 2023/24 season to see how Chelsea got on.
Opening game:Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool (August 13, 2023)
Despite their recent record of stalemates, the draws came to an end with Liverpool beating Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the simulation. Reece James put the Blues ahead within the first minute, but a Mohamed Salah brace followed by a Luis Diaz strike confirmed defeat on the opening day
Biggest win: Chelsea 5-0 Aston Villa (September 23, 2023)
Chelsea put on their best performance of the season at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League, beating Unai Emery's side 5-0. It was also Villa's heaviest defeat of the campaign, with Noni Madueke, Conor Gallagher, James, Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez all getting on the scoresheet.
Biggest shock: Chelsea 2-4 Crystal Palace (December 23, 2023)
The worst defeat of the season for Chelsea came against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, with the Eagles coming from two goals down to win 4-2. A Sterling brace had the Blues ahead after 71 minutes, but a flurry of late goals saw the visitors stun Chelsea.
Derby days: Chelsea vs Tottenham
Against his former side, Pochettino managed to win both games against Tottenham as Chelsea earned bragging rights over their rivals. After a 1-0 win away from home, Marc Cucurella and Myhailo Mudryk both scored to claim a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Final game: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth (May 19, 2024)
Chelsea ended the season with three points at home to Bournemouth, beating the Cherries comfortably to close the curtain on the 2023/24 campaign. Goals either side of half-time from Gallagher and Carney Chukwuemeka helped the Blues to a 2-0 win.
2023/24 Premier League final standings:
It was a much better season for Chelsea under Pochettino than last season, with the Blues getting back to their best in the 2023/24 campaign. 10 wins in their final 12 games of the season saw Chelsea shoot up the table and claim a third-place finish, securing their spot in the Champions League.
21 wins, 10 draws and seven losses saw the Blues end the season on 73 points, 29 more points than the season just gone. A drop in form from Tottenham and Arsenal allowed Chelsea to jump to third in the league, but they struggled defensively, only having the ninth-best defence in the league
Overall, according to Football Manager 2023's Premier League simulation for the 2023/24 campaign, Chelsea could show huge improvement in the 2023/24 season, finishing third in the Premier League. The Blues found their best form towards the end of the season, whilst the Christmas period proved difficult for Pochettino's side.
What do you think of these Chelsea results for next season? Let us know in the comments below!