Chelsea is currently in seventh place in the Premier League standings, but with their recent improvement in performance, they may yet be able to make it to Europe. They are putting pressure on Newcastle United, who are in sixth place, having gained seven of a possible nine points in their last three games.

Nevertheless, after heavily investing in acquisitions over the past three transfer windows, the insatiable Chelsea board was expecting more from Pochettino. In addition, Pochettino’s rapport with the club’s ownership and sports directors Lawrence Stewart and Paul Winstanley has been under close scrutiny recently. The Argentine coach made a suggestion about having little contact with the owners while rumours about his future at Stamford Bridge circulated.

However, there is a glimmer of hope for the coach, as Boehly’s public remarks during a Sportico conference in Los Angeles shed light on his appreciation for the team’s recent performances.

“We’ve seen the last two and a half games, at least in the second half at Aston Villa (2-2 draw) and Tottenham (2-0 win) and West Ham (5-0 win) where we played just beautiful football,” he said.

“It was so fluid, it was exactly the way we drew it up, when we came out of the back, built up and moved up the pitch, (it was) very organised and the number of shots we had on board. In those two and a half games, you could really start to see what we were working on coming together. Even the commentary has changed over the last two and a half games. I’ve never seen anything change so quickly.”

With games remaining against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Bournemouth, Chelsea does have a relatively easier run of fixtures in the latter stages of the Premier League season. Should they secure all nine points and Newcastle falter in their corresponding games, the Blues may find themselves competing in Europe the next season.