Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas: 'I don’t think we’ll finish below the fourth spot'

Andre Villas-Boas believes that Chelsea will be able to finish in the Premier League top four and achieve Champions League football in the process.

The Blues are already 15 points behind league leaders Manchester City, and the Portuguese boss believes it would be "unrealistic" to think of a title chase under the present circumstances.

But the west London club also occupy fourth spot in the top-flight, two points ahead of fifth-placed Arsenal who registered a thumping 7-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Newcastle United and Liverpool are not far behind either, but the former Porto boss believes his charges have what it takes to finish in the top four.

"I don’t think we’ll finish below the fourth spot but I have told the players it is unrealistic to think about the title," Villas-Boas said, according to The Sunday Mirror.

The Blues have fallen behind in the Premier League title race and have also been knocked out of the League Cup, but the boss appears to be eyeing the FA Cup and the Champions League.

"There is special negativity when you don’t reach your objectives but you have to bear in mind we are still playing for silverware in two big competitions," said Villas-Boas.

"We are in a period of change but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be successful now.

"At the moment we believe in next year's project but we still believe we can do something this year."

Chelsea play host to Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.