Chelsea midfielder Matic has not given up on top four

Champions League qualification should still be Chelsea’s target after Tuesday’s victory over Norwich City, according to Nemanja Matic.

First-half goals from Kenedy and Diego Costa secured a 2-1 triumph at Carrow road, with Chelsea’s third successive Premier League win moving them up to eighth in the table.

With 10 matches still to play, Guus Hiddink’s side are five points adrift of Manchester United in fifth and eight behind fourth-placed Manchester City, who have two games in hand.

Matic is confident of overhauling some of the sides above them to finish in the top six, but also would not rule out a stunning turnaround to secure a top-four spot, even if he acknowledges it is a seismic task.

“It is very important to win games,” Matic told Chelsea TV.

“We are a big team and we have to do this if we want to be closer to the first four. It is very difficult to catch them, but we will try our best to win every game.

“I think we can be in the first six, but we will try to win every game. I know it’s difficult, maybe impossible, but in football anything can happen.

“We will go game by game, step by step, and we will see in the end where we finish in the league.” 

Chelsea host Stoke City on Saturday, before they play Paris Saint-Germain and Everton next week in the Champions League and FA Cup respectively.