It is a big London Derby on Saturday. Chelsea are flying high. They just beat Napoli 3-2 in the Champions League on Wednesday, thanks to two goals from Joao Pedro. New coach Liam Rosenior has started perfectly, winning 5 of his first 6 games. If he wins this one, he will be only the fourth English manager ever to win his first three Premier League games. Chelsea are now 5th in the table and chasing the top four.
West Ham are in a different fight. They are 18th in the table and fighting relegation. But they have turned a corner under Nuno Espirito Santo. The Hammers have won three games in a row (against QPR, Spurs, and Sunderland). Confidence is returning, but their record at Stamford Bridge is terrible.
Can Chelsea continue their dominant run, or will West Ham upset the odds to escape the drop zone?Chelsea vs West Ham: Key Stats
Head-to-head: Chelsea 58 wins, West Ham 44 wins, 23 Draws
Chelsea: Won their last 5 home games against West Ham in all competitions.
Goals Galore: Chelsea scored 109 goals against West Ham in Premier League history.
West Ham: Conceded at least one goal in their last 21 matches in a row.
Chelsea: Unbeaten in 39 of their last 45 home games.
Last meeting: Chelsea 5-1 West Ham (August, earlier this season).
Photo Credit (Getty Images)
What to Expect: Attack vs Leaky Defense
Chelsea;
The Blues are full of confidence. Manager Liam Rosenior has them playing attacking football. They have scored 15 goals in their last 4 league games against West Ham. With Joao Pedro on fire (4 goals in 4 games) and Cole Palmer fully fit again, expect Chelsea to attack from the start. They are missing some defenders (Colwill, Adarabioyo), but they have enough firepower to hurt West Ham's leaky defense.
West Ham ;
Nuno Espirito Santo has made West Ham tough to beat recently. They have won three in a row, with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville scoring goals. However, their defense is still a worry; they have conceded a goal in 21 straight games. West Ham will likely try to defend deep and use the speed of Summerville and Bowen on the counter-attack. They are desperate for points to leave the relegation zone.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) 🔵: Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho; Pedro
West Ham United (4-4-2) ⚒️: Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Diouf; Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville; Pablo, Castellanos
Players and Matchups to Watch
Joao Pedro: He is the man of the moment. He scored two goals against Napoli and has 4 goals in his last 4 games.
Jarrod Bowen: He scored in the win against Sunderland. If West Ham want to get anything from this game, Bowen needs to be at his best.
Reece James: The captain might play in midfield or right-back. His passing and strength will be key to controlling the game.
Valentin Castellanos: The new January signing started well. He will look to trouble the Chelsea defenders.
Odds Market on MSport
💵 Chelsea to win: 1.55
💵 West Ham to win: 6.16
💵 Draw: 4.94
💵 Over 2.5 Goals: 1.56
💵 Both Teams to Score (GG): 1.68
💵 Estevao Anytime Goalscorer : 3.30
