Previews

Chelsea host Crystal Palace in this 3pm kick off and nothing but three points will do against their south London opponents. With Liverpool in action on Sunday at Spurs and Man City hosting Arsenal earlier on Saturday the top of the table could have a different complexion after this weekend and the Blues need the win to make sure they are sitting pretty.

Ordinarily a home game against a side down in 19th place would be about as easy a game as anyone could wish for. However, it may not be the case here and whilst the bookmakers naturally think this one is a foregone conclusion it might not be as easy as they think.

The potential for Chelsea to slip up exists because the Eagles come into this one riding the crest of a wave. The “new manager effect” is still going strong at Palace and after consecutive wins their players and fans may just be starting to believe relegation isn’t the certainty it seemed a few weeks ago.

Whilst those back to back wins were both at home and came against fellow relegation candidates West Ham (1-0) and Cardiff (2-0) there is no doubt morale in the Eagles’ camp will be soaring. Moreover, with four clean sheets in their last five they could prove a tough nut to crack, not least for a team lacking a clinical nut-cracker up front!

The Pensioners have not scored as many goals as their creative midfield warrants and it must hurt Chelsea fans to see Daniel Sturridge banging them in at Liverpool and Romelu Lukaku doing likewise at Everton. Meanwhile back at the Bridge Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o and Fernando Torres continue to look poor.

Tony Pulis will no doubt come to west London with a point in mind and as such is certain to set his team out very defensively and given Palace’s playing resources who can blame him? Organisation, commitment and discipline will be the watchwords for the visitors whilst the home side will hope their array of creative midfielders-cum-attackers can unlock the safe.

The teams have played each other on surprisingly few occasions with the last meeting being in the top flight in 2004, Chelsea recording a 4-1 home win that day. At Stamford Bridge the clubs have played each other 16 times in the league and eight of those have ended in draws, with just one Palace win. Whilst most of those meetings are too long ago to really influence this one, the away fans and players could draw further confidence if they are aware of those stats and Chelsea will have to avoid complacency if they are to get the win.

However, Chelsea have won six of seven at home this term, never scoring fewer than two goals and as such we expect them to do more than enough to get the win here. It won’t be as easy as some home fans would want but the three points are all that matters.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

After Chelsea’s disappointing 3-2 defeat at Stoke on Saturday, this midweek Champions League match against Group E wooden spooners Steaua Bucharest could come as a welcome distraction. But Jose Mourinho’s men won’t be able to take things too easy against the Romanians because, despite being assured of a place in the knockout stages, the Blues need a result to ensure they finish top of the group.

And ending at the top of the Group E tree could be crucial if they are to go far in the tournament as it would mean they would avoid other group winners in the next round, teams that will include Bayern Munich (barring a miracle for Man City when they visit Bavaria), Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona (who should finish the job against Celtic to top Group H).

Of course, the home side should win this one with ease given Steaua have managed to score just two goals in the group so far (both against Basel with whom they drew 1-1 home and away). Chelsea also won 4-0 when visiting Bucharest, two goals from Ramires, one from Frank Lampard and an own goal from Daniel Georgievski making it a straightforward victory. And we don’t expect anything less at the Bridge.

The sides met in the round of 16 stage of the Europa League last season, and Chelsea didn’t make it easy for themselves. They lost the first leg 1-0 in Romania and after taking the lead in the home leg, Steaua equalised, sending shockwaves through the Stamford Bridge crowd. But second half goals from John Terry and Fernando Torres (he does score sometimes!) sent Chelsea on their path to Europa League glory.

On Saturday the Blues created enough chances to have put the game to bed, but their profligacy gave Mark Hughes’ Stoke side the belief they could get something from the match. And so it turned out, with goals from Peter Crouch, Stephen Ireland and a cracker from Oussama Assaidi earning the three points for the home side despite a fine brace from Andre Schurrle.

Mourinho was frustrated with his side’s lack of precision in front of goal, but also at the fact they had conceded three goals for the second match in succession. One of Chelsea’s major strengths over recent years has been their strong defence and the fact they have been somewhat leaky of late will be a major cause for concern for the manager (and the fans), especially with a trip to the Emirates coming up before Christmas.

As such we expect a clean sheet to be high on Mourinho’s wish list here, along with a few goals of course. With a hectic fixture schedule ahead, the Portuguese boss is likely to shuffle his deck and let some of the second string stretch their legs, but we fancy a comfortable victory for Chelsea as they progress as group winners.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-0

Chelsea have now won three successive league games and despite things not quite seeming right at the Bridge the Blues are second in the Premier League (and of course have progressed with a game to spare in the Champions League).

Whilst many enjoy putting the boot in the facts are that Jose Mourinho’s team are grinding out the results and it is that ability that the Portuguese boss is best known for. In recent weeks they have been far from the fluent, convincing side fans and Roman Abramovich yearn for and yet they are still two points clear of Man City, six better off than Spurs and eight points ahead of struggling Man United.

That said, they will need to improve if they are to get a vital three points from this trip to the Britannia. Stoke have the irritating ability to raise their game when the top sides visit the Potteries and the fans always make it an intimidating environment.

The Pensioners have fared better than some of the other big boys in recent years, especially back in January when they won 4-0. The four league meetings prior to that ended in consecutive 1-0 Chelsea wins at the Bridge and a 0-0 and 1-1 draw at Stoke before that. Stoke have never beaten Chelsea in the Premier League but if the Blues play as they did at Sunderland the home side could very easily get a draw if not take all three points.

Mourinho’s men have been particularly unconvincing on the road, losing at Everton and Newcastle and drawing at United – when they offered little going forward – and at Spurs. Tough games, no doubt, but two points is clearly well below par for a side with title aspirations.

Given Stoke are down in 14th, with 14 points from 14 games (could the score be 1-4?) the visitors will certainly expect to win and whilst the Potters managed to draw 0-0 at home with Cardiff on Wednesday, prior to that they went down 4-0 at Everton.

This one looks set to be a low scoring affair, considering recent meetings between the sides (that match in January aside) but even more so given the pattern of games at the Britannia this term. A Stoke season ticket may be considered more of a punishment than a prize, given the seven games at the ground have seen a total of just eight goals. Mark Hughes’ side have the 19th most potent home attack and the second best home defence and so this one seems unlikely to be a thriller.

Chelsea should prevail but their lack of a potent striker means they are ill-equipped to deal with such a tight defence and if the away side do clinch the three points 1-0 certainly looks the most likely score. It could very easily end 0-0 or 1-1 but we just about think the Blues will do enough and maybe John Terry will be the man to net the winner.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 1-0

Chelsea got back to winning ways against Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but the visitors didn’t make it easy for Jose Mourinho’s men, scoring after just 13 seconds. For large parts of the match the Saints were stronger, faster and more creative than the home side, but goals from John Terry (in his 400th Premier League appearance), Gary Cahill and Demba Ba completed a fine 3-1 victory that moved the Blues up to second in the table.

Four points behind leaders Arsenal (who won 3-0 at Cardiff on Saturday), Mourinho will be hoping his side can capitalise on any slips by the Gunners over the hectic festive schedule, but earning three points from this trip up to the North East will be no foregone conclusion for the Pensioners.

Since Gus Poyet was brought in to replace Paolo Di Canio (whose reign was marked by erratic performances both on the pitch and in the dugout) the Black Cats have appeared a much-improved outfit. When playing at the Stadium of Light they have beaten local rivals Newcastle (to whom Chelsea lost recently) and also got the better of Southampton in the League Cup (who – as mentioned – gave almost as good as they got at Stamford Bridge on Sunday). Their biggest result, however, was the 1-0 victory over Manchester City, and though Manuel Pellegrini’s men haven’t travelled at all well this season, it is a result that will give Poyet’s team confidence of a similar result against the Blues.

This makes them dangerous opponents, and given Mourinho’s men have lost two of their last three away games (against Newcastle and Basel, both of whom they would be expected to beat), Chelsea fans would be forgiven a few nerves ahead of this one.

Having said that, coming back from a goal down – and, to be honest, being comprehensively outplayed early on – against the Saints will give Chelsea a massive boost ahead of this one. As might the fact that Juan Mata was given a full 90 minutes, and took his chance, playing his part in most of the good moves the home side created. If Mata is given another start on Wednesday – as he should given Oscar will probably miss out after picking up a knock on Sunday – we think the Spaniard will inspire the Blues to victory. And while it won’t be easy (the “new manager effect” still inspiring commitment and energy amongst the Sunderland playing staff) we think victory by a one-goal margin could be on the cards for Chelsea on Wednesday.

There is a chance Mourinho will go with two up top as his side looked far more dangerous on Sunday in the second half when Ba and Fernando Torres were both on the pitch. But whether he does or not we fancy a relatively close match that is just edged by the visitors as Chelsea continue to hang on to Arsenal’s coattails.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-1

Chelsea face a stern test at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Southampton come to town. It will certainly be a sterner test than that offered by Basel on Tuesday night in the Champions League, but the Swiss side still managed to get the better of the Blues by a 1-0 scoreline.

Jose Mourinho’s men put in an impotent display in which they failed to produce even a single shot on target, and many of the players looked as though they were in need of a rest, which is far from ideal given the hectic Christmas schedule is just around the corner.

Given Chelsea looked jaded and devoid of attacking ideas on Tuesday it is a mystery why Mourinho decided to leave Juan Mata on the bench as an unused substitute once again. The Spaniard was Chelsea’s best player last season – and one of the best in the Premier League – and his creative guile could be just what the Blues need at the moment. But the Special One will apparently not be moved, and though Eden Hazard and Oscar possess undoubted talent, Mata could certainly add something to the side.

They will certainly need a spark of creativity on Sunday when they face the meanest defence in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino’s men are not one-trick ponies, though, and have a good deal of attacking intent to go with their exceptionally hard-working and well organised midfield and defence. In Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez and Gaston Ramirez, the Saints have a group of players capable of mixing it up in attack, playing it on the ground or in the air and this has allowed a combination of directness and patient build up which has undone many a side this season.

Having already beaten Liverpool (who are currently in second place in the Premier League table, ahead of Chelsea on goal difference alone) at Anfield as well as earning a well deserved point at Old Trafford against champions Manchester United, the Saints will be fancying their chances ahead of their trip to the Bridge, especially if they watched how West Brom came so close to victory there before the international break.

On that occasion Mourinho’s men were very lucky to escape with a point after an injury time penalty was awarded to the home side (and converted, much to the relief of Blues fans). Chelsea will need to put in a much more rounded performance on Sunday as Southampton are better organised and more skilful than the Baggies. In some ways a home draw might not be a bad result, and we expect a close encounter as both sides battle for supremacy but ultimately cancel one another out. Given that 11 of the Saints’ 12 league matches this season have produced two goals or fewer, we don’t anticipate a goalfest, and a 0-0 or 1-1 draw could be on the cards.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea 1-1 Southampton

Jose Mourinho was well satisfied with his side’s 3-0 victory at West Ham on Saturday in a match in which they dominated and were rarely troubled. He will hope for more of the same as the Blues travel to Basel on Tuesday looking to avenge the home defeat they suffered at the hands of the Swiss side back in September.

On that day Basel came back from a goal down (scored just before half time by Oscar) to win the match 2-1 thanks to late goals from Mohamed Salah and Marco Streller. But – despite a few hiccoughs – Chelsea have come on since then and should have more than enough to get the result that will ensure they finish at the top of Group E and hopefully secure an easier tie in the next phase of the competition.

Basel are currently top of the Swiss Super League, having lost just once in their 15 matches. They were beaten at home by Schalke in the Champions League in October, however, and given Chelsea made short work of the Germans both home and away (winning 3-0 on each occasion) we certainly think Mourinho’s men will win this one comfortably. With a potentially tough home match against Southampton on Sunday the manager would probably like to have this one sewn up early in order to have the luxury of withdrawing key players in the second half. As such we expect the Blues to start fast and build on the confidence gained from the win at West Ham.

Frank Lampard scored twice against his former club at the weekend, and the club’s leading all-time scorer could be given another chance to shine on Tuesday. Whether Juan Mata is given another chance to prove his worth to the Special One remains to be seen of course, but either way the Blues will have more than enough creativity and attacking prowess to get the better of their Swiss opposition.

Fernando Torres is unlikely to be fit for this one, but Samuel Eto’o appears to be finding his feet and – despite not being exactly prolific having scored just four goals this term – he should be given the nod ahead of Demba Ba.

When Chelsea visited Basel last season in the Europa League they won the match 2-1, with goals from Victor Mosses and David Luiz. We envisage at least as good a result this time around given Chelsea have been imperious in the Champions League since fluffing their lines against Basel, winning three, scoring 10 and conceding none. But we have a sneaking suspicion the home side might catch the visitors on the break once or twice and so wouldn’t be surprised to see them grab a consolation goal. Overall though this match should be an easy three points for the Blues as they march on to the Champions League knockout stages once again.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-1

Jose Mourinho may have suggested the spot kick awarded to his side in stoppage time against West Brom last time out was a “clear penalty”, but most would beg to differ. Still, decisions tend to even themselves out over the season and this one definitely went the way of the Blues as Eden Hazard stepped up to calmly convert and make it 2-2, earning a point and extending the Special One’s unbeaten home Premier League record to 66 matches.

Coming on the back of a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle, a home loss against the Baggies (or any side, come to that) would have been unacceptable from a Chelsea point of view. And though Mourinho didn’t quite get the reaction he was seeking, West Brom performing very well, it could prove a valuable point in the race for the title.

The Portuguese boss will know, however, that the Blues will need to despatch teams like West Ham if they are to stride on to Premier League glory this term, and though Sam Allardyce and his men might put up sturdy resistance, we can’t see any other result than a Chelsea win on Saturday at the Boleyn Ground. Apart from their opening weekend win over Cardiff, West Ham have been dour and dire in equal measure, except for an astounding 3-0 victory against Spurs at White Hart Lane that stunned fans of both sides.

The Hammers have failed to follow that fine result with anything other than hard-working football that lacks invention. Their four draws this season (against Newcastle, Southampton, Swansea and Aston Villa) have all ended 0-0, and though West Ham did beat Chelsea 3-1 at home last season we feel their best chance of success here (success being to avoid a heavy defeat) will be to kill the game from the start, packing the midfield and defending in numbers.

Mourinho will of course anticipate this and is likely to send out a highly attacking side given the home side have little in the way of goal threat of their own. Okay, Ravel Morrison has been very impressive for the Hammers, but with Andy Carroll still out injured and Ricardo Vaz Te joining him on the physiotherapist’s couch, there simply aren’t enough goals in the side. Joe Cole and Kevin Nolan are not the players they once were and there appears a lack of adventure in the side, Morrison aside.

As such we fancy the many attacking options at Mourinho’s disposal, along with his demands for improvement from recent league performances, will see the Blues to victory on Saturday. Chelsea’s 3-1 win at Norwich in early October could be a good indicator of the way this match will go. Except we can’t see the Hammers having enough ammunition to upset a generally sturdy Chelsea backline. As such, while it might take a while to get the first goal, we think a relatively comfortable Chelsea win is on the cards.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea put their awful performance against Newcastle last weekend behind them with a comfortable 3-0 win against Schalke on Wednesday. That result has helped them recover their position at the top of Champions League Group E and they now have a great chance of progressing. They will be looking to get their domestic fortunes similarly back on track here with a solid win at the Bridge and few would bet against them so doing.

Aside from a blip against Basel in the Champions League when they lost 2-1, their home form has been stellar. Five wins from five in the Premier League, including a vital 2-1 triumph over Man City have kept them in the hunt for the title and whilst their away form in domestic football has been patchy Jose Mourinho has maintained his sensational home league record.

The Portuguese boss managed a spell of 150 games without suffering a defeat in the league at home, spanning spells at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Currently on a run of 36 unbeaten, including 27 wins and four draws at Real and five wins this term, Mourinho’s indomitable spirit and will to win mean losing isn’t an option.

Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle and the poor performance of his team clearly stung the Special One and he got the required response against Schalke and will demand more of the same here.

West Brom are currently down in 11th, having taken 13 points from their opening 10 games and given they have won just once on the road thus far they will not be travelling with too much optimism. That win came at Old Trafford, however, and with a draw at Everton too, the Baggies have proved they are not afraid of travelling to the top sides.

Last season they won at Anfield and drew at Spurs whilst the game at the Bridge was a narrow home win, the match ending 1-0. Mourinho will be well aware of these warning signs and will know his players need to produce the goods to avoid any chance of an upset.

The Blues will again be without Fernando Torres, the Spaniard still suffering from a leg injury but he is the only real concern as Mourinho has all his top players available. Whether he chooses to reinstall Eden Hazard to the squad remains to be seen. Hazard was left out for the Schalke game having reportedly been late for a training session. If the Belgian is punished further, which seems unlikely, Juan Mata could start, although Andre Schurrle seems likely to play on the left instead, with Oscar continuing behind the striker, in this case – most probably – Samuel Eto’o who scored a brace on Wednesday.

The Baggies are without a number of players, with Billy Jones out, Ben Foster and Zoltan Gera both also injured and doubts over former Blues Nicolas Anelka and Scott Sinclair. Whilst the Baggies have some decent players there is a clear gulf in class here and we expect another solid home win and perhaps another Eto’o goal.

LCN verdict: 2-0 to Chelsea

The Blues face Schalke at Stamford Bridge two weeks after their 3-0 win in Gelsenkirchen knowing that another win would give them a fantastic chance of not only progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League but also topping Group E and potentially avoiding one of the top sides in the next round.

That 3-0 success in Germany came with a brace from Fernando Torres and a late strike from Eden Hazard and whilst the Schalke boss may have been justified in arguing the result was harsh on his side, Chelsea were clinical and did the job that was required of them.

After the opening loss in the competition at the Bridge to Basel there must have been fears that the Special One was not so special after all and that his attempts to lift a third Champions League crown with a third club would have to wait another season at least. However, a 4-0 win in Bucharest and the aforementioned 3-0 victory over Schalke have restored order and a third straight win in the competition seems highly probably here.

The Pensioners are definitely showing signs of adapting to Jose Mourinho’s ways and results and performances are improving, with eight wins in nine prior to the weekend trip to Newcastle. Home form, the anomalous reversal against Basel aside, has been as strong as one would expect from a Mourinho side and that alone is enough to suggest Wednesday’s match should be relatively painless.

The Portuguese boss has a sensational record spanning all his clubs, and went 150 games unbeaten at home in the league before the run was ended by Sporting Gijon whilst Mourinho was at Real Madrid. Since then he has amassed 27 wins and four draws with Real and has a 100% record from his five games in the Premier League this term with the Blues.

That gives an indication of the size of the task facing Schalke and given they are currently just seventh in the Bundesliga with four wins from their opening 10 games it would be an optimistic fan that expects them to upset the home side. Julian Draxler, potentially a target for Chelsea, is the man the Pensioners will have to marshal but Schalke’s major problems are at the back. They have kept just two clean sheets in the Bundesliga this term, conceding two goals or more on seven occasions and Mourinho will be keen for his strikers to make hay here.

If Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba (or whichever combination is selected) can all get somewhere near their best form then they should score for fun given the supply line from midfield. This should be a decent opportunity for them to build their confidence although the Special One may choose to rotate his squad given the number of fixtures being played recently and it is anyone’s guess which one or two will get the nod.

Irrespective of who takes to the field though the home fans will be hoping for a similar score to the reverse fixture although an even more impressive win would be a great marker to lay down ahead of the harder European tests to come.

LCN verdict: 3-0 to the Blues