Frank Sinclair thinks Liverpool are out of Chelsea's reach in the race for a top four spot in the Premier League and believes the Blues are realistically battling Tottenham Hotspur for fourth place.
Chelsea sit fifth and five points behind Spurs, while Liverpool are third and two points further ahead, though Spurs and Chelsea do have a game in hand on Jurgen Klopp's men.
At least one of the two will drop points after the international break though when Chelsea welcome Spurs to Stamford Bridge; Liverpool play Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park a day before.
And Sinclair thinks that Chelsea's best hope of fourth place now lies in overhauling Spurs.
"I think realistically Spurs are the ones we've got to catch if we're going to finish in the top four", the former Blues defender said on Chelsea TV.
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"There's no better way than playing them and having it in your own hands.
"Go out there, at home, and you've got to beat them", Sinclair added.
Both Chelsea and Tottenham have booked spots in the semi-final of the FA Cup, but while the Blues have been drawn to take on struggling Southampton, Spurs are due to face Jose Mourinho's Manchester United.
