Chelsea will be looking to avoid setting an unwanted club record when they face Manchester City in the Premier League this weekend.
The Blues have endured their worst campaign for three decades, finding themselves down in 11th position in the standings with three games remaining.
Chelsea are already aware that they will not participate in Europe next season and Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be appointed as the club's next head coach in due course.
For now, however, caretaker manager Frank Lampard is tasked with trying to collect points from an intimidating closing triple-header of Man City, Manchester United and Newcastle United.
On a positive note, Chelsea have recorded four points from their last two top-flight fixtures, beating Bournemouth by a 3-1 scoreline before being held by Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Nevertheless, Chelsea face the real prospect of a disastrous end of the campaign unless further improvements are made, and avoiding an unwanted club record will be their initial target this weekend.
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The West Londoners are currently on a five-match losing streak against Man City in all competitions, failing to score in any of those fixtures.
Ahead of facing City for the fourth time this season, Chelsea have never suffered six defeats without scoring in a row against any opponent in their history.
Chelsea are also just two defeats away from equalling the club record for most losses in a row against a single opponent, that currently being held by Blackburn Rovers with seven wins between 1993 and 1996.
Furthermore, Chelsea are on a 14-match streak of not beating a team who start the game sitting above them in the league table.
From Lampard's perspective, he has the chance to become the first manager since the 1976-77 campaign to avoid defeat at City on two occasions in a single league campaign.
On New Year's Eve, the Englishman's Everton side earned a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium.
Darren Plant
