TOP FOUR FINISH IS NOT A GUARANTEE- RAFA BENITEZ

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has rubbished suggestions his team have secured a top-four position in the English Premier League.

Benitez's side bounced back from their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City with a 3-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday to move to 61 points in third spot on the Premier League table.

Chelsea sit one point ahead of fourth-placed Arsenal, while Tottenham (fifth on 58 points) and Everton (sixth on 56 points) are still in the hunt to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League with around a month to go in the Premier League.

Benitez expects the battle to finish in the top four will continue to the final day when his side host Everton, while they must also face Tottenham before the end of the season.

"I said a long time ago that the race for the top four will go until the end of the season and it looks like that," Benitez said after Wednesday's victory.

"If we continue winning and they continue winning then the games against Tottenham and Everton will be even more important.

"It has to be like this though and will be good for you because it gives you (the media) something to write about."

Chelsea took the lead on the half-hour mark at Craven Cottage thanks to a blistering long-range strike from Brazilian defender David Luiz.

When Eden Hazard played the ball square to Luiz, the 25-year-old central defender took a couple of touches before smashing his shot from over 25 metres into the opposite top corner of the net.

Benitez explained after the game that he has seen Luiz do similar things before on the training pitch.

"I have seen David Luiz score these kind of goals in training sessions and also free-kicks so he has this ability and is a very good player," Benitez said.

"He is capable and hopefully he can do one or two more before the end of the season."