Chelsea failed to take advantage of another Liverpool stumble in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League on Saturday, thumped 3-0 by Everton to remain outside the top five of the English Premier League.

Champions Liverpool had slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Brighton in the early kick-off – their 10th loss of a dismal Premier League title defence.

But Chelsea's thumping reverse at the Hill Dickinson Stadium gives renewed hope to a clutch of clubs below them, including Everton themselves, Brentford and Fulham.

The top five teams in the Premier League are almost guaranteed to play Champions League football next season due to the strong showing of English clubs in Europe.

Arsenal are hot favourites to land the Premier League title for the first time since 2004, with second-placed Manchester City well clear of city rivals Manchester United in third. (AFP)


Edited by Tony Sabine