Ace Football previews the Premier League match between West Ham and Chelsea and offers betting tips, odds, line-ups, and team news.
West Ham United and Chelsea lock horns for a London derby in the Premier League on Saturday evening.
Unlike the previous derbies, there is a lot more riding on this than local bragging rights. The two sides are level on 55 points in fourth-place for the final Champions League qualification spot, setting up a fascinating battle in the capital.
An injury-hit West Ham are no pushovers at home, but Chelsea have excelled under Thomas Tuchel on the road ahead of a potentially critical encounter for either side’s top-four hopes.
West Ham United Form & Stats
A 3-2 defeat to Newcastle last weekend saw West Ham slip out of the top-four. It was the third time in four league fixtures the club had conceded three goals in a single match. They’ve also faced an average of 16.6 shots against them per 90 minutes in the previous six outings.
The showdown with Chelsea, therefore, perhaps couldn’t have come at a worst moment. Despite a decent head-to-head record in the last five meetings (W3 D1 L1), David Moyes’ side are without key men, including Michail Antonio and Declan Rice, and have struggled for form recently.
That said, West Ham have the second-best home record in the Premier League. They’ve lost only three times – to Liverpool, Manchester United, and Newcastle – at the London Stadium (W9 D4) and can take the fight to Chelsea.
Key Team Stats
- Won 2 of their last 5 league games (D1 L2).
- Won 3 of their last 5 home league games against Chelsea (D1 L1).
- Unbeaten in their last 5 home London derbies in the Premier League (W3 D2).
- BTTS & over 4.5 goals in their last 4 league games.
- Jesse Lingard has scored in each of his last 5 league games.
- Jesse Lingard has had 12 goal involvements in 10 league games for West Ham (9 goals, 3 assists).
Chelsea Form & Stats
In a match that was largely overshadowed by the European Super League, Chelsea settled for a 0-0 draw with Brighton on Tuesday. They created little up front, but the point was enough to snatch a top-four spot by goal difference.
Despite a Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid coming up next Tuesday, Thomas Tuchel will probably field a strong line-up to face West Ham. The Blues are gunning for an eighth Premier League double over West Ham. If they do it again, it would be a big step for their top-four bid.
It’s also worth noting Chelsea are unbeaten in all nine of their away games under Tuchel across all competitions (W7 D2). The German, meanwhile, has hinted at rotations, which may include the return of Tammy Abraham.
Key Team Stats
- Won 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions (D1 L1).
- Unbeaten in 9 away games in all competitions under Thomas Tuchel.
- Kept 15 clean sheets in 20 games in all competitions under Thomas Tuchel.
- Could equal a record of 4 consecutive London derby wins.
- Mason Mount has supplied 5 goals and 2 assists in 18 appearances under Thomas Tuchel.
Team News
West Ham United
Out: Darren Randolph, Andriy Yarmolenko, Delcan Rice, Michail Antonio, Michail Antonio.
Doubts: Aaron Cresswell, Arthur Masuaku.
Chelsea
Out: Mateo Kovacic.
Doubts: N/A.
Predicted Line-ups
(Note: The image will change to the official XI once they’re both announced)
Top Scorers in Premier League
Head-To-Head Record
Below are some head-to-head stats on each team’s recent form in the Premier League.
Betting Tips
More Odds
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