Month: May 2017

Can Chelsea add the FA Cup to the Premier League title they lifted last weekend? After the party atmosphere against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge, this is going to be a very different occasion. This is the first time since 2007 that two of the top five have met in the final of this famous competition. The Blues won the cup that day, with Didier Drogba sealing the cup in the first final at the new Wembley. They’ve been regular visitors since, winning the competition four times in the last 10 years.

However, it’s been five years since they last won this competition, with Arsenal winning it in 2014 and 2015. Arsenal are also the joint leaders in the all-time FA Cup winners table with 12 and this will be their 20th final, more than any other side.

The Blues won the league and cup double for the first time in 2010 under Carlo Ancelotti, something they’re aiming to emulate here. Roberto Di Matteo won this competition alongside the Champions League in 2012 during his first campaign as manager. Will Conte be the latest Italian boss to lift two trophies in his debut season in charge? To do so he has to see off one of the most successful sides in FA Cup history. Can the Gunners move clear of Man United with their 13th FA Cup trophy on Saturday?

Team News: No early changes as Conte demands focus

Chelsea have no injury concerns this weekend, with Conte able to give his first choice players a run out against Sunderland. The Blues were heavily changed for their win against Watford, but they were basically at full strength during the game with the Black Cats. While they gave John Terry a guard of honour mid game on Sunday, Conte won’t stand for anything like that in such a huge game.

The Blues will need 100% focus on this massive occasion, so we expect the strongest possible line up here. Having claimed league success thanks to their consistency in selection, we expect that to continue when they head to Wembley.

Arsene Wenger has been forced in to switching to a 3-4-3 set up of late, after struggling for results. He decided to ape Conte’s formation, and so far it’s brought Arsenal positive results. We expect them to continue with that set up, despite their current defensive problems. The Gunners lost Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny in their win over Everton, which means they’re short of options in central defence. With three slots to fill, we could see both Per Mertesacker and Rob Holding starting at the back for Wenger, which would leave them potentially very open at the back.

Arsenal Form

The Gunners recently pushed themselves back in to the fight for the top four after a string of victories, thanks to their decision to move to a 3-4-3 set up. Arsenal won their FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City during that run, but they needed extra time in order to see off the Citizens. It’s been a tough year for the club, brought on by the uncertainly over Wenger’s future.

The Gunners have won their last five games coming into this match, but they were recently beaten 2-0 at Tottenham. Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final opponents comfortably saw off the Gunners, sealing one of the most one sided north Lon derbies ever. That result pushed Arsenal even further from the top four, and now they’re facing the prospect of Europa League football next term, regardless of the result at Wembley.

Chelsea v Arsenal Head to Head

Chelsea’s two matches against Arsenal this term have been key. The 3-0 defeat might be the most important result of Conte’s tenure, as he switched to a 3-4-3 following that heavy loss, kicking off a great run of form. They won 3-1 in the return leg, easing to a victory thanks to their new approach. The Gunners managed to win the last meeting between these two at Wembley, in August 2015, but can the Blues claim revenge for that defeat with a victory this weekend?

• Chelsea 3-1 Arsenal, Feb 2017
• Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea, Sept 2016
• Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea, Jan 2016
• Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal, Sept 2015
• Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea, Aug 2015

Betting Tips

• Over 1.5 Chelsea goals – 4/5 with Ladbrokes
• Chelsea -1 Asian Handicap – 52/35 with BetVictor

Chelsea are priced at 5/6 with Betfred to win the match, while they’re as short as 4/9 with Bet365 to lift the trophy. The draw, and extra time, is priced at 11/4 with Coral. Arsenal can be backed at 7/2 with Betfair, with the Gunners drifting out of contention according to the bookies. While the Blues are tempting at just below evens to claim the win, we think there is other bets here which represent much better value.

Chelsea come into this match facing an Arsenal defence which is down by two men. If Arsene Wenger persists with his new 3-4-3 set up, then he’s going to have a field a couple of below par players at the back. If he switches, they could be going back to the poor form they exhibited earlier in the season, during which Chelsea beat them 3-1. We think this Blues’ attack will get plenty of chances, and over 1.5 goals for the Blues looks like cracking value at 4/5 with Ladbrokes, especially when you consider how their last FA Cup clash at Wembley went.

With Chelsea likely to get chances, we’ve turned our focus to the defence. The likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil don’t tend to do much in big games like this, they were absent against a weak Manchester United side recently. The Blues have a solid backline which looks back to its best right now, and we can see that holding out. However, we aren’t going for the win to nil, as the -1 Asian Handicap looks better value. It’s priced at 52/35 with BetVictor for the Blues to win by two or more goals, with a refund should they only win by one.

For the second time in three seasons, Chelsea are going to lift the Premier League title against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have the title wrapped up, and they’ll finally get their hands on the silverware after this meeting with the already relegated Black Cats. Neither side has much to play for on the final day of the season, but don’t expect the champions to slack off. They can move on to 93 points for the season with a victory over the worst side in the league, which would leave them two shy of the Premier League record.

Chelsea can also become the first side in a 38 game season to claim 30 Premier League victories. They’re massive favourites to take the points in this game, so it seems likely they’ll claim that record. After all, it would ruin the occasion slightly if the title was lifted after slipping up to a side who are on their way down to the Championship. Given the nature of boss Antonio Conte, whatever side he names for this game should be focused on taking the three points. However, just how big a part will the prospect of the cup final play?

Team News: Final Terry run out as he teases retirement

While we expected rotation from Chelsea on Monday night, the whole-sale changes made by Conte were quite surprising. It remains to be seen if that was purely down to the team playing twice in four days, or if the title celebrations took their toll on the first choice players. However, with the FA Cup final just six days away, it’s hard to see the first XI taking the field for this game with little on the line. There are plenty of fringe players who are ready to step up and try to earn their place.

Sunderland have a lengthy injury list, one which has played a big part in their relegation this season. They’ve been without Paddy McNair and Duncan Watmore for a lengthy period. Defensive midfielder Jan Kirchoff is unavailable, while forward Victor Anichebe also misses out. One time Chelsea target Steven Pienaar is another name who sits out for the Black Cats this weekend. They switched to a 3-5-2 set up at Arsenal in midweek, and that is likely to be the approach they take at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. After all, the same formation helped Watford to three goals on Monday night.

Sunderland Form

The Black Cats have one win in their last 12 games, as they head down to the second tier with a whimper. That victory was at Hull after they were relegated, and it looked like Sunderland were going to kick on with no pressure on them. However, back to back defeats at home to Swansea and at Arsenal have left them bottom, and they’re set to wrap up a dismal season in the top flight on Sunday.

Sunderland’s away form has been terrible, which is a huge part of their quick relegation to the Championship. They’ve lost 14 of their 18 away games, averaging just 0.56 points per game on their travels this term. Having conceded 64 goals across the season, the visitors are likely to struggle in this trip. Having lost five of their last six games on their travels, we’re expecting another loss for David Moyes’ men this weekend.

Chelsea v Sunderland Head to Head

The Blues claimed a narrow 1-0 at the Stadium of Light back in December when these two sides last met. Chelsea have won 3-1 in back to back meetings with the Black Cats at Stamford Bridge. They’ll be hoping to avoid a repeat of the 3-2 defeat they suffered in May last year, which looked like it would be John Terry’s final match in a Blue shirt. It seems like this meeting with the Mackems will be his last Chelsea game.

• Sunderland 0-1 Chelsea, Dec 2016
• Sunderland 3-2 Chelsea, May 2016
• Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland, Dec 2015
• Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland, May 2015
• Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea, Nov 2014

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win and over 2.5 goals – 4/5 with Coral
• Cesc Fabregas to score – 7/4 with Bet365

Chelsea come into this game priced at 1/6 with Sky Bet to take the three points, while Sunderland are massive 28/1 outsiders with Ladbrokes. The draw can be backed at 15/2 with Betfair, but we can’t see anything but a home win this weekend. That’s despite the collapse the Blues suffered at the back on Monday night. Following three straight wins to nil, the champions then edged out Watford 4-3 on Monday night to make it four straight home victories. However, their rotated side clearly struggled, with Cesc Fabregas scoring late on to secure a win.

While Sunderland aren’t prolific scorers at home, they’ll fancy their chances of troubling Chelsea’s second string defence. They’ve found the net in five of their last six visits to this ground, scoring eight goals across those six trips. With nothing to lose in their final game at this level, we expect the Black Cats to push forward. However, the champions should be able to rack up a few goals against one of the worst defences in the division. We think this game will be filled with goals, so we’re backing Chelsea and over 2.5 at 4/5 with Coral.

We expect most of the side which started against Watford to feature here, it’ll likely only have a few first team players involved. We can see a spot in the side for Cesc Fabregas, who will be looking to build on his goal against Watford. The Spaniard has been in wonderful form of late, while he struck the only goal when these two sides met earlier in the season. We’re backing him to get among the goals once again, as we’re tipping Fabregas to score any time at 7/4 with Bet365.

Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge fresh from winning the Premier League title. A late goal from Michy Batshuayi gave the Blues a 1-0 win at West Brom on Friday, which saw them confirmed as champions. Having opened up a 10 point lead on Friday night, can they finish the season with that kind of advantage over Spurs? Antonio Conte is known for driving his sides on in meaningless games, having grilled his players ahead of the final Serie A game in 2014. Despite having the title won, Conte wanted to break the 100 points barrier. He tore into Gigi Buffon for taking his eye off the ball, and Juve won 3-0.

Expect Chelsea to head into this clash with Watford with a similar mentality. While they can’t hit 100 points this term, the Blues are on 87. Two victories would put them on 93, two shy of the Premier League record set by Jose Mourinho’s side in 2005. If they can finish with two victories, the champions will finish the season 43 points better off than last time around. That’s an incredible swing, and it would be a great way to finish a brilliant league campaign, before they lift the title against Sunderland on Sunday.

Team News: Expect changes after title party

Conte has guided Chelsea to the title thanks to a settled team selection, but that’s all about to change. By the look of the celebrations in the dressing room on Friday night, there could be a few players who aren’t ready to start this game. Diego Costa might need a little break, while a few of the stars should be rested with one eye on the FA Cup final later this month. It’s likely a few will sit out here and then the others get the weekend off, as Conte will still want a strong finish before the meeting with Arsenal. Hopefully John Terry can get on the field for his final two games in a Chelsea shirt.

Watford have a lengthy injury list for this game, with five players set to miss out. The Hornets are missing defenders Younes Kaboul and Craig Cathcart, while January signing Mauro Zarate is also injured. Roberto Pereyra is another forward player missing here, with those two Argentines both capable of easing Watford’s scoring worries. With those two out, the visitors could continue to struggle in the run in. The hosts are likely to set up in a 3-5-2 formation, which will be an interesting test for Conte’s 3-4-3 set up.

Watford form

Due to this clash, Watford’s latest game was also brought forward to Friday. The Hornets lost 1-0 at Everton, as they continued a dismal run of form. It’s now four defeats in five for the side from Vicarage Road, having secured safety a while ago. They’re sat in 15th place with 40 points to their name, which means they’ve achieved their immediate aim of staying in the top flight.

However, the visitors don’t have a strong record on their travels to back them up here. They’ve now lost their last six away games, all without conceding a goal. They’ve got one of the worst away records in the division, averaging just 0.67 points per game. It’s easy to see why the Blues are such heavy favourites.

Chelsea v Watford Head to Head

The Blues left it late to beat Watford at Vicarage Road, with two goals inside the last 10 minutes seeing off the Hornets. The first of those goals came from Batshuayi – his only Premier League goal this season before that crucial strike on Friday. Last season these two shared a pair of draws during the Hornets’ first season back in the top flight, but that’s unlikely to be repeated here given the visitors’ awful record on the road this term.

• Watford 1-2 Chelsea, Aug 2016
• Watford 0-0 Chelsea, Feb 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 Chelsea, Dec 2015
• Chelsea 3-0 Watford, Jan 2015
• Chelsea 5-0 Watford, Jan 2010

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 13/10 with BetVictor
• Chelsea to win 3-0 – 8/1 with Bet365

Chelsea are priced at 2/7 with Coral to take the points this weekend, while the draw is 5/1 with Sky Bet. Watford are 9/1 with Betfred to rain on the Blues’ parade this weekend, although their recent away form makes that pretty unlikely. While there are bound to be changes for the champions, we still see them being too strong for the Hornets. However, there’s obviously little value in backing the hosts at such short odds. There is value elsewhere in this one, and we believe we’ve found a couple of bets well worth backing.

We’ve detailed Watford’s poor recent away record, but they’ve been awful all season on their travels. With 12 defeats from 18, we can’t see anything but another away loss for the Hornets. They’ve managed just 12 goals away from Vicarage Road so far, and Stamford Bridge isn’t the place to go in order to add to that awful total. With little creativity on their travels, we can’t see Watford getting any joy against the Blues. After three straight wins to nil, we’re backing another clean sheet and victory for the champions. Given that Watford have lost to nil in six straight away, and in four of their last five games, 13/10 with BetVictor looks like a brilliant price.

We’re also backing Chelsea to win with a little more swagger than they did on Friday. The Blues have been in great scoring form at home, hitting at least three in four of their last six. Given how poor Watford have been of late, the Blues should be able to rack up a few more goals in this one. There’s plenty of attacking talent to come into the team, so we’re backing a 3-0 win for the champions at 8/1 with Bet365.

Chelsea travel to West Brom on Friday night knowing that three points will seal the Premier League title. Their 3-0 win over Middlesbrough on Monday moved them seven points clear of Tottenham once again, meaning that victory over the Baggies will secure the trophy for the second time in two years. There’s little left for the Blues to do, and they have plenty of insurance with two more home matches to come after Friday’s clash. However, Antonio Conte won’t want to wait any longer to win his first trophy as Chelsea boss, he’ll want his men to get over the line with two games to spare.

Their meeting with West Brom comes at exactly the right time, with the hosts in awful form at the minute. Baggies boss Tony Pulis was in the crowd for the Boro game, but he’d struggle to find a way to stop this relentless Blues side. They looked brilliant in that win over the second bottom side, and now they’re on the verge of wrapping up their fifth Premier League title.

Team News: Status quo to remain in defining game

Once again Conte comes into this game with a fully fit squad to pick from. While N’Golo Kante missed out on Monday with a slight knock, he’s expected to return this weekend. However, it’s hard to see who drops out for him. Is it Nemanja Matic, who scored against Middlesbrough, or Cesc Fabregas, man of the match on Monday night? That’s a tough choice for the boss, it’s probably going to be Pedro who drops out, with Fabregas stepping forward into a more attacking role behind Diego Costa. Aside from that, the side should remain unchanged.

West Brom have a pretty big absence ahead of this game, as they’re without former QPR man Matt Phillips. He’s added a different element to West Brom’s attack, and they look a little short up top without the winger in the team. Welsh forward Hal Robson-Kanu is another absentee for the Baggies, as they look to improve their awful recent form. Their last home game saw them operate a slightly more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, but it’s hard to see Tony Pulis going with the same set up for a game with the league leaders.

West Brom Form

West Brom are currently searching for their first win since March 18th, following their late drama on Saturday. The Baggies led 2-1 at Turf Moor on Saturday, before Sam Vokes hit a leveller for Burnley. That 2-2 draw kept them eighth in the league, but they’re 13 points behind seventh placed Everton. Their European dream has faded, just as their form fell apart.

West Brom have lost 1-0 in their last three home games, including a meeting with Liverpool. Their last victory here came against Arsenal almost two months ago, a game which saw an abysmal display from the Gunners. The Baggies have just one point from four home meetings with the current top five, but can they add to that tally this weekend?

West Brom v Chelsea Head to Head

West Brom put up a fight at Stamford Bridge in the latest meeting between the sides. The Baggies were in the game until Diego Costa’s strike gave the Blues all three points, continuing their winning run. The Blues lost 3-0 at the Hawthorns shortly after winning the title in 2015, but they returned four months later to win 3-2, which is their most recent visit to this ground.

• Chelsea 1-0 West Brom, Dec 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 West Brom, Jan 2016
• West Brom 2-3 Chelsea, Aug 2015
• West Brom 3-0 Chelsea, May 2015
• Chelsea 2-0 West Brom, Nov 2014

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 21/20 with Coral
• Eden hazard to score any time – 5/4 with Sky Bet

Chelsea are priced at 4/11 with BetVictor to take the three points they need at the Hawthorns. Given how poor the hosts have been here of late, it’s no wonder that the champions elect are priced at odds so short. The draw this weekend is priced at 17/4 with Bet365. The Baggies are priced at 8/1 with Betfred to take the points, which would be a huge shock in the title race. Can the Blues make the most of this opportunity and seal the title, or will Tony Pulis spoil the party? We all remember how his Crystal Palace side struck down Liverpool’s title hopes in 2014, could the same thing happen here? We think not.

Luckily, West Brom are in no kind of form to stop the leaders. They’ve been far from their best, tailing off just as they looked on course to book a place in Europe. They’ve now lost 1-0 in three straight home matches, and they look far too short up front. The Baggies have failed to score in five of their last six matches in the Premier League, while the Blues finally look solid at the back. After back to back 3-0 wins, they should be in strong enough shape to keep a clean sheet on Friday night against the goal shy hosts. We’re backing Conte’s side to see out their title push with a clean sheet, so we’re backing the Blues to win to nil at 21/20 with Coral.

Our second tip is Eden Hazard to score any time on Friday night, despite him failing to hit the target on Monday. Not only has the Belgian scored key goals against Southampton and Tottenham recently, but he’s got form in massive matches like this. His goal settled the 2014/15 season, winning the title for Chelsea. Last term Hazard scored the goal which handed Leicester the title. Can the Belgian score the title deciding goal for the third season running? That would be some accomplishment, and we’re expecting him to find the net at the Hawthorns. We’re backing Hazard to score any time, which is priced at 5/4 with Sky Bet.

Can Chelsea continue their push for the Premier League title against Middlesbrough on Monday night? A 3-0 win at Everton saw the leaders come through what was supposed to be their final big test on their path to the championship. Antonio Conte and his team are just three wins away from glory, with a very forgiving fixture list to round off the season. After facing second bottom Middlesbrough, they play West Brom, Watford and bottom side Sunderland. It just seems like a matter of time before the trophy returns to Stamford Bridge, but will the Blues move closer to becoming champions by seeing off a poor Boro outfit?

You’d expect the hosts to triumph here, especially as this match kicks off a crucial week in the season. Chelsea have three games in seven days, with West Brom away on Friday and Watford at home the following Monday. Tottenham face Manchester United in between those two clashes, so there’s a good chance that the title will be finished off next weekend, as long as Conte can keep his team focused for the visit of Middlesbrough.

Team News: Steady selection to keep Blues on course

Once again Conte can call upon a full strength side for this clash on Monday night. He named his strongest team at Everton, and there’s little need for him to rock the boat this week. They’ve had eight days between their last win and this clash, which gives them plenty of time to rest and prepare. That win at Goodison was an impressive display, and there’s little need to change anything. While Willian and Cesc Fabregas were impressive coming off the bench, they’re likely to find themselves with a watching brief from the start here. After putting out a strong message at Everton, Conte will have faith that his men can deal with Boro.

Middlesbrough come into this game without Victor Valdes in goal, but that’s not too much of a blow. The former Barcelona stopper hasn’t really impressed since coming to England, and Brad Guzan seems to be a better option for the visitors anyway. Boro are also missing Grant Leadbitter, but aside from those two they travel to the Bridge at full strength. They’re likely to line up in a 4-5-1 formation for this trip, with wingers in support of Alvaro Negredo. They had a slightly more attacking line up at home to City, but expect them to be a little more reserved in this trip.

Middlesbrough Form

Middlesbrough come into this game having won just one of their last 17 Premier League games. That victory came two weeks ago, but it was against bottom side Sunderland. The men from the Riverside haven’t beaten a side above them in the table since mid-December, and that was against the other side in the relegation zone, Swansea.

Despite their 2-2 draw at home to City being a positive, they’ve shipped four goals in trips to Bournemouth and Hull recently. They’ve lost five of their last six on their travels, scoring just twice across their last seven away days in the league. Those are all worrying stats for Boro, especially as they’re coming up against the league leaders, who have won 88% of their home games.

Chelsea v Middlesbrough Head to Head

Chelsea won the first meeting between these sides back in November, with Diego Costa scoring the only goal in that one. The last league meeting between them at the Bridge was in January 2009, with Salomon Kalou scoring both goals in a 2-0 win. Just who will be the hero who pushes the leaders ever closer to taking the title? Judging by the recent head to head record, there’s only one winner here.

• Middlesbrough 0-1 Chelsea, Nov 2016
• Middlesbrough 0-2 Chelsea, Feb 2013
• Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough, Jan 2009
• Middlesbrough 0-5 Chelsea, Nov 2008
• Chelsea 1-0 Middlesbrough, Mar 2008

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 8/11 with BetVictor
• Over 2.5 Chelsea goals – 5/6 with Coral

Chelsea come into this game as massive favourites for the points, with Sky Bet making them 1/6 to wrap up a win. The hosts are clearly expected to move toward the title with another three points. The draw is 6/1 with Ladbrokes ahead of this clash, while Middlesbrough are out at 14/1 with Bet365 to take the points. Obviously there’s little value in the match betting, as we can’t see anything but a win for the leaders. However, recent meetings between these two point to a quiet afternoon for the Blues’ back line. Given their recent troubles, conceding in 10 of their last 11 in the league, that’s got to be welcome news for the current back three and Thibaut Courtois.

Chelsea come have now won to nil in their last seven meetings with Middlesbrough. That includes the 1-0 win at the Riverside earlier this term. The Blues know they’re facing one of the two lowest scoring sides in the top flight. While Boro hit two at home to City last time out, they score just 0.59 goals per game on their travels. The Blues may have fallen apart at the back of late, but their clean sheet at Everton raises expectations here. We expect another win to nil for the leaders, which is priced at 8/11 with BetVictor.

While we see Chelsea keeping things tight this weekend, we do expect the leaders to win in style on Monday night. Their 2-0 defeat to Manchester United now looks like a blip, as the Blues have scored at least three in four of their last five. Given that Boro conceded four times in a trip to Bournemouth recently, we’re confident that the Blues will put on a show going forward at the Bridge. We’re backing the hosts to score at least three goals against the league’s second bottom side, which is priced at 5/6 with Coral.