Merson: Hull A Must Win For Blues  (Sky Sports)

If Chelsea fail to win at Hull City this weekend, they could be set for a campaign like last season, according to Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.

Antonio Conte's side head to the KCOM Stadium on Saturday afternoon having not won any of their last three Premier League matches, the previous two ending in defeats to rivals Arsenal and Liverpool.

Chelsea's defence have also shipped seven goals in that time, a run that has partly coincided with the absence of centre-back John Terry, who sustained an ankle injury towards the end of their 2-2 draw at Swansea City.

In the Blues captain's absence, Conte has gone with Gary Cahill and David Luiz - who returned to Stamford Bridge on Deadline Day - at the heart of his back four.

However, after their display at the Emirates last Saturday evening, Terry's return to fitness cannot come quickly enough, says Merson.

"I do not think that the back two have met each other and this is the worst partnership since they were last together," he told Sky Sports. "It is that bad and they need to sort it out quickly.

"[Branislav] Ivanovic saying that we did not go out and do what the manager said, that is worrying. If the manager is setting you up to play in a certain way and no one goes with that plan, that is worrying."

With eighth-placed Chelsea already trailing Premier League leaders Manchester City by eight points, the former England and Arsenal winger believes this is a must-win game for the visitors if they wish to avoid a repeat of last season when, as champions, they finished in an unfamiliar position of 10th.

"This is a big game for Chelsea, you know, and if they do not win this game then I can see them having a season like last season, which would not surprise you after the Arsenal game," Merson says.

Conte - who only took over the west London club last summer - is also a man under pressure ahead of his team's trip to the north east, with Merson questioning some of the Italian's second-half substitutions against the Gunners.

"Three-nil down and I just did not see it [the introduction of Marcos Alonso for Cesc Fabregas]," he says. "I do not know if he was thinking damage limitation and we do not want this to be five and six, which it probably could have been, so maybe he was looking at that.

"But they are not good enough at the back and if you look at Chelsea, for a good club and the players that they have got, they are desperately relying on a 35-year-old centre back coming back very quickly."