However, before the players go on holiday and the summer transfer spending spree starts, the Blues contingent is heading over to America to play against Premier League rivals Manchester City in a glamour friendly in New York on May 25th.

Although it has been a long season, this is an excellent way for the club to reward its fanbase in the United States, and will be a good end to the season. The game will be played in the iconic Yankee Stadium – and will be only the third football game to ever be staged there.

The trip over to America promises to be a team-building exercise before the players go their separate ways for the summer break. It will also be a chance for a number of younger players to potentially experience a high-profile game against top opposition, and to spread the appeal of the club further.

It promises to be a feast of football for the attendees, with the Champions League final also being shown in the build-up to the live event. For the first time ever, this UEFA Champions League Viewing will be broadcast live on the stadium’s impressive 59-foot-high by 101-foot-long high-definition centerfield video board. After the culmination of the game at Wembley, which may include extra time and penalties between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea will take to the field to face City.

Gates open at 2pm EST for the viewing, with the Champions League final starting at 2.45pm. From there the game between the Blues and City is scheduled for a 5.30pm start, but this could be pushed back if the Champions League final goes into extra-time.

Tickets are still available for the game and the Champions League viewing, and can be purchased here – www.yankees.com/soccer.

Chelsea and City will know each other well, as the sides also faced each other in the FA Cup semi-finals back in April. The Blues will have revenge on their minds after the Etihad Stadium outfit eliminated Chelsea from the cup competition – and will also play a friendly in St Louis in the build up to the big game at Yankee Stadium.

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Date: Sunday, 19 May

Kick-off: 16.00 GMT

Finally here it is, the last game in a very long season (unless we’re forced into a play-off for third place of course) – and the last Premier League game we’ll have to endure the sight of the interim in our dugout.

A win against Everton today would guarantee us automatic Champions League qualification, anything less and Arsenal could take third spot, so let’s have it!

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into the last game of this particular season and his last game in charge of Everton before taking over the reins at Manchester United, David Moyes says “We want to try to get a record points total if we can. We finished the game off very well last week. That has put us in a league position where we can’t go any further up or any further down. In the year we qualified for the Champions League, the points we have (this season) would have been enough to get us there. But we don’t even make Europa League football this year, which is really tough on us.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, Bertrand (knee) is out, Hazard (hamstring) and JT (ankle) are doubtful and Ramires misses out through suspension. John Obi Mikel (hip) is pushing for a start after being on the bench against Benfica and Demba Ba is available after being cup tied for our Europa League win.

For Everton, Neville and Osman (both knee) miss the final game.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Cech, Cole, Cahill, Ivanovic, Azpilicueta, Lampard, Luiz, Moses, Mata, Oscar, Ba.

EVERTON (Possible line-up): Howard, Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Fellaini, Gibson, Mirallas, Barkley, Pienaar, Anichebe

LAST MEETING

Everton 1-2 Chelsea (30th December 2012)

PREDICTION

In our last six against each other, we’ve had three wins each and a total of 14 goals, 18 yellow cards and 3 reds, so this should be anything but an uneventful final game.

Everton are without a win in their last seven away games but they’ve won their last five Premier League games played on the final day of the season, including a 1-0 home win against Chelsea in 2010-11. We haven’t lost at home in the league since January 2nd – and we definitely don’t want to risk facing a play-off for third place, so we should be looking to go out with a win!

Here we are then, the final game of the 2012/13 Premier League season and your final chance to have look at the prediction and stats from the brilliant KickOff.co.uk. You know what to do…….here.

The stats reveal that six of the last 12 league meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw, with both sides securing three wins apiece.

However Everton have won only one of their previous 20 Premier League trips to the Bridge, and since the start of 2009-10 the Toffees have won only three of their 20 top flight away games in London (D11, L6).

Throw in the fact that Chelsea are unbeaten in their seven league matches (W5 D2) and know that victory will guarantee them a third place finish you can see why they are odds-on to win this despite the fact that the visitors will be desperate to give David Moyes a winning send-off in his last game as manager.

Frank Lampard became the highest goalscorer in the history of the club (203) with his brace against Aston Villa, and looks decent value at 7 with Coral and Stan James in the first scorer market.

He has been absolutely outstanding all season, and the standout 3 on offer with Stan James about him netting anytime looks huge given that he is as short as 2.25 in a place.

The last three meetings in the league between the two sides have seen nine goals netted (average of 3), so backing over 2.5 in this encounter also makes plenty of appeal at 1.73 with BetVictor.

In the correct score market I am going to suggest a small punt on Chelsea winning 3-1 – the same as when they last met in the league at Stamford Bridge. That outcome is chalked up at a best of 15 with Stan James.

Venue: Amsterdam Arena

Date: Wednesday, 15 May

Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Here we are then, not quite last year’s European final but a European final nonetheless and we won’t turn our noses up at the prospect of adding a bit more silverware to our ever-growing cabinet.  We’ve done the important business in securing a Champions League spot, thanks to Frank Lampard at the weekend, so starting XI permitting, it’d be good to see us playing some more attacking football with a bit of the pressure off.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into today’s game and off the back of much fuss in the press, Benfica manager Jorge Jesus says “No Benfica player has undermined the quality of any Chelsea player or the Chelsea team. In my opinion the strongest team make the Europa League final. Chelsea is an excellent team and they will finish third in the Premier League this year. They have quality.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Benfica, there are no new injury worries, and defender Andre Almeida is expected to be fit.

For Chelsea, it’s not great news, with both JT (ankle) and Hazard (hamstring) injured in the win over Villa at the weekend. Mikel (hip) hasn’t played for four games and Bertrand (knee) is another one unlikely to feature. Romeu has travelled although hasn’t played since December and Ba is cup-tied. On the plus side, Lampard should get a game.

TEAMS

BENFICA (possible line-up): Moraes, Almeida, Garay, Luisao, Pereira, Matic, Perez; Salvio, Lima, Gaitan; Cardozo.

CHELSEA (possible line-up): Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Moses, Mata, Oscar, Torres

LAST MEETING

Chelsea 2-1 Benfica (April 4th, 2012) 3-1 agg

PREDICTION

At the end of this game we could be in the unique position of being the holders of both the Champions League and Europa League cups or we could finish the season without a trophy.  We’re probably just about edging it as favourites, although that’s not necessarily a position that does us any favours as a rule and Benfica won’t be spectators in this game. Tough one to call – and I’m far too superstitious anyway!

The Blues have won two of their last four trips to Villa Park (D1, L1) and face a side who have won just three of their last 11 home matches in the Premier League, losing six.

However a win for the home side will ensure that the Villans are safe from being relegated so there is a lot at stake and the game promises to be a real hard fought affair.

Having said that it’s hard not to believe that Chelsea will not make their class tell, especially as they gave Villa their biggest ever defeat in the top flight when they met just before Christmas (8-0).

That was also the game with such Fernando Torres score his last goal in the Premier League when he netted the opener in the third minute.

He is a a 7 chance with Stan James and William Hill to repeat the dose and bag the first in this, and can also be backed at 3 with Stan James to net anytime.

Both teams to score also looks a solid wager at a standout 1.67 with Stan James given that Villa have found the net in seven of their last 8 games, and over 2.5 goals also appeals at the 1.73 on offer with BetVictor.

In the correct score market I am going to suggest split stakes on Chelsea winning 3-1 or 3-2.

The former is 15 chance with BetVictor, while the latter is a tasty looking 26 with Betfred and Stan James.

Venue: Villa Park

Date: Saturday, 11 May

Kick-Off: 12.45 GMT

A cliched must-win game for us today if we are to get the 3 points that would secure a Champions League place for us next season and take some pressure off before our Uefa Cup final.  For Villa though, it’d guarantee them Premier League football next season, so they aren’t on their summer holidays yet either. And whilst we might have given them a right royal battering at Stamford Bridge in December, it really is a case of that was then and this is now – and it’s fair to say they’re a changed side of late.

One thing that hasn’t changed though, is the applause we’ll hear – in the 16^th minute for Roberto Di Matteo and again in the 19^th for Stiliyan Petrov – although I suspect both may be with a heavier heart than usual on this occasion. For the Villa fans, the news of Petrov’s retirement this week will undoubtedly have a bearing, whilst for us, I suspect we all know the constant recognition for Roberto Di Matteo is nearing its end – like the interim’s contract really!

MANAGER’S VIEWS

In spite of the ordeal he endured when he brought his side to Stamford Bridge for our last meeting, Paul Lambert is apparently full of confidence for this one, saying “To be fair to Chelsea, that game (at Stamford Bridge) – it could have been more and that’s the reality of it. Brad Guzan made some great saves.  But the team has bounced back incredibly. We’re a different team now to what we were then. There has been a massive improvement in the way that we’ve played, the belief and the confidence has been really high. Against the teams around about us, in the games we’ve had to win, we’ve produced. I think that’s been a big, big factor in where we are at the minute.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Villa, Karim El Ahmadi (thigh) and Ciaran Clark (foot) miss out, whilst Matthew Lowton (thigh) will face a late fitness test. Richard Dunne, although back in training, is unlikely to feature in Villa’s remaining fixtures.

For Chelsea, Ryan Bertrand (knee) is out, Eden Hazard (calf) and Victor Moses (leg) are doubtful, although John Obi Mikel (hip) is available again.  Oriol Romeu (knee) is also back in contention following his long-term absence and Lampard should get a start.

TEAMS

VILLA (Possible line-up): Guzan, Lichaj, Vlaar, Baker, Bennett, Westwood, Delph, Sylla, Agbonlahor, Benteke, Weimann

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Lampard, Ramires, Moses, Mata, Oscar, Ba

LAST MEETING

Chelsea 8-0 Villa (23^rd December 2012)

PREDICTION

We absolutely thumped Villa in the reverse fixture back in December and Frank Lampard would certainly like a goal here today which would see him equal Bobby Tambling’s 202 club goal scoring record but the Villa side we face today, unlike back then, are 3^rd in the PL form table (behind Arsenal and us) so it won’t be quite so easy.

We’ve won 2 from our last 4 trips to Villa Park (with a draw and defeat in the other 2) and Villa haven’t been brilliant at home lately, winning just 3 from their last 11 in the league on home soil. But whilst they’ve gone 20 league games without a clean sheet, Villa’s attack has been in impressive form, with 18 goals seeing them win five of their last 8 games.

With us both really needing all 3 from this one though, are we doomed to suffer a bore draw?

A must-win game for us in today’s early one at Villa Park, what’s the likelihood of us getting that win though? Well, why not have a look at the prediction & stats from the brilliant KickOff.co.uk? You know where to click

Venue: Old Trafford

Date: Sunday, 5 May

Kick-off: 16.00 GMT

This afternoon will see the fifth meeting between us and United this season. Obviously we beat them in both the FA and League Cups although Clattenburg made sure it wasn’t a clean sweep – despite our fight back from 2-0 down at home.  As likely winners as we looked in that one as well, the sendings off of Ivanovic and Torres were a enough to see us concede a late winner from Chicharito.

And as if that isn’t enough to provoke talk of ‘revenge’ in this one, it seems Fergie and the interim have been getting a few digs in at each other in the run-up to the game, so it looks as if there’ll be as much love lost as usual for today’s clash.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Whilst all he had to say about his counterpart ahead of the game was that he seemed a little obsessed with his CV, on his own side, SAF says “I never took into account all the [celebratory] things that happen,” he said. “The PFA award, our own player of the year awards, the parade and then [Nemanja] Vidic came to me last week and asked if the team could go to Chester races on Wednesday. And I said, without thinking, ‘Yeah, of course’. But then when you put all these things together you think, ‘What the hell?’ I hope  they don’t forget there’s a game of football to be played. Now if they don’t win on Sunday I think that  [trip to the races] would be cancelled.”

SQUAD NEWS

For United, Fletcher (illness), W Keane, Welbeck (both knee) and Young (ankle), all miss out although Scholes and Vidic are both back in training, with Scholes possibly available for a place on the bench.

For Chelsea, Romeu remains out and Hazard might not be risked for a starting place, having come off against Basel midweek. Demba ba, who missed the Basel game courtesy of being cup-tied and Ashley Cole, through suspension, are both back in contention.

TEAMS

MAN UNITED (Possible line-up): De Gea; Rafael, Jones, Evans, Evra; Carrick, Giggs; Nani, Kagawa, Rooney; Van Persie, Webb

CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Lampard, Luiz; Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Ba.

LAST MEETING (PL)

Chelsea 2-3 Man United (28^th October 2012)

PREDICTION
United and Chelsea have met 41 times in the Premier League and ahead of today’s game, it’s all square with 13 wins each and 15 draws. United will come into the game the fresher side as well because whilst we play our 65^th game, United, of course have had a rest from European action. Mind you, they’ve won just 2 of their last 5 in the league and already have the title under their belt, so the outcome will undoubtedly be determined by the usual dodgy decisions and controversy!

Here we go then, another massive game in the run-in and with Spurs winning again yesterday, the pressure’s on for us to get something against United – but will we? Well let’s see what the brilliant KickOff.co.uk reckon shall we? Click here