West Ham v Chelsea – Preview, Predictions and Best Bets

West Ham face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. The last meeting between these sides ended in a 5-0 win for the Blues. Both sides scored late goals in their most recent matches to secure results.

West Ham Form

West Ham struggled towards the end of last season, winning just two of their final 11 matches. That run included a 5-2 loss to Crystal Palace and a 5-0 defeat to Chelsea. This season began with a 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa despite generating 2.46 xG. They followed that with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace, thanks to two second-half goals.

The Hammers then secured a 1-0 win against Bournemouth at home in the Carabao Cup but lost 3-1 to Man City, conceding 23 shots and 3.00 xG to the reigning champions. Last Saturday, they were largely outplayed by Fulham but managed to snatch a 95th-minute goal to draw 1-1. West Ham allowed 21 shots and four ‘big chances’ in that match.

West Ham Team News

Coach Julen Lopetegui faces a question mark over striker Niclas Fullkrug, who has a calf injury, but he should be fit enough for the bench. Emerson is a serious doubt at left-back due to a knee injury, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka expected to cover in his place.

Lucas Paquetá is set to return to the starting lineup after only playing the second half against Fulham. Crysencio Summerville is pushing for a start, which could see Jarrod Bowen play centrally. Danny Ings is likely to remain on the bench.

West Ham Motivation

West Ham have been open this season, creating chances but also giving up plenty of opportunities. They will aim to win at home and will view Chelsea’s defense as vulnerable.

Chelsea Form

Chelsea ended last season strongly, losing just one of their final 15 Premier League matches, including five consecutive wins to close out the campaign. However, that form has not carried over into this season. After a 2-0 opening day loss to Man City, they secured a 2-0 win over Servette in the UEFA Conference League. A 5-2 win at Wolves followed, with Chelsea scoring three second-half goals.

However, they lost 2-1 to Servette in the second leg of their Conference League tie, followed by a 1-1 home draw against Crystal Palace despite generating 2.37 xG. Last weekend, Chelsea secured a 1-0 win at Bournemouth, scoring late but benefiting from Bournemouth hitting the woodwork twice and missing a penalty.

Chelsea Team News

Chelsea should have Romeo Lavia, Malo Gusto, and Enzo Fernandez available after they missed the win at Bournemouth. Reece James remains doubtful due to a hamstring injury.

Christopher Nkunku is pushing for a start after scoring the winner in the last match, while Jadon Sancho will also hope to start after providing an assist. Pedro Neto is a candidate to drop to the bench.

Chelsea Motivation

The Blues will be eager to win this match as they seek to build momentum. However, the team still looks naïve at times and has a tendency to concede chances from their own build-up play. They may need to score at least twice to secure victory.

Key Stats

West Ham have lost 6 of their last 10 EPL matches.

West Ham have seen Both Teams to Score (BTTS) in 7 of their last 9 league matches.

West Ham have lost just 1 of their last 7 home matches vs Chelsea (4 wins, 2 draws).

Chelsea have lost just 2 of their last 19 league matches.

Chelsea have scored 2+ goals in 13 of their last 17 league matches.

Verdict

West Ham tend to perform well in this fixture, while Chelsea are still a work in progress. Both teams are likely to score, and a draw seems like a reasonable outcome.

Best Bet: Both Teams to Score and Over 2.5 goals at 1.76

Value Bet: Draw at 3.70

Goalscorer Tip: Christopher Nkunku to score anytime at 2.90