Chelsea, Arsenal fight to stay in top 4

Conte, Wenger could be fired by the end of the Premier League season

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have no margin for error as they fight to avoid being frozen out of the Premier League’s top four and next season’s Champions League.

When the London rivals clashed in the Community Shield in August, the sparkling sunshine at Wembley provided a fitting backdrop as they looked ambitiously toward the new season.

But just seven months later that optimism has given way to the harsh realities of winter and the realization that both Conte and Wenger could be out of a job at the end of the season.

With fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur at home to Huddersfield Town on Saturday, Chelsea – with three defeats in their past four league games – could be five points outside the top four by the time they kick off at Manchester City on Sunday.

Last weekend’s defeat at Manchester United was another bitter blow and Conte knows returning to Manchester to face red-hot City is hardly the ideal fixture for Chelsea to get back on track.

Chelsea’s players are reportedly unhappy with Conte’s intense personality and ultrademanding training sessions.

And, asked how damaging it would be for Chelsea to miss out on the Champions League, Conte’s answer hinted at frustration with his players’ efforts.

“I am repeating the same concept many times but in this league to find a place in Champions League is not simple,” Conte said.

“There is this risk to stay out of the Champions League. This could be a possibility for sure.

“We must be ready to fight, to be concentrated and to understand that this target is an important target for us but it won’t be easy.”

Across London, Arsenal have fared so badly that Wenger’s future appears more uncertain by the day, despite breaking the club’s transfer record twice this season.

Arsenal’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea last May was followed by the announcement that Wenger had signed a new contract after months of debate over his future, sparking talk of a long-awaited renaissance at the Emirates Stadium.

However, Wenger once again finds himself vilified by Arsenal fans after the Gunners slumped to sixth place, crashed out of the FA Cup at Nottingham Forest and succumbed to a tame League Cup final loss against Manchester City on Sunday.

On Thursday, Arsenal suffered a second 3-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola’s league leaders in just five days.

Sunday’s trip to Brighton will serve as another referendum on Wenger’s belief that he remains the right man to revive the Gunners.