Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United have received a massive boost in the race for a top four spot.
The trio of teams are battling it out with Chelsea for the remaining two place in next season's Champions League, with Man City and Liverpool already in.
And it looks like being a race that will go right down to the wire.
There are just four points separating the two sides with Arsenal holding six games to go, Spurs and United five, with Chelsea four after the game against Liverpool at Anfield.
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And it is during the match at Anfield on Sunday afternoon that the Blues have suffered a setback in the battle to finish in the top four.
The Blues coped admirably with the Liverpool frontline in a goalless first half, but Maurizio Sarri will have been disappointed to see one of his key players limp off with an injury.
Rudiger has played 41 games in all competitions for Chelsea this season - an integral member of Sarri's starting lineup, but the Italian could be forced to play without him in the coming weeks after Rudiger trudged off with a knee injury following an innocuous looking tackle.
Any injuries to key members of the squad at this stage of the season will offer a timely boost to the other teams in the battle for the top four and Rudiger would be a big miss for the Blues.
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