Author: Graham

Chelsea are back in Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, as they make the trip across London to visit West Ham. David Moyes’ side have struggled for points all season, which has left them stuck in the bottom three as we edge towards Christmas. While there’s plenty of talent and experience in this West Ham side, you have to question their work ethic, which is something they need to have if they’re going to survive a relegation scrap. The Blues should be confident of claiming three points, given how David Moyes struggled with Sunderland last season, and he’s threatening to take his new side in a similar direction.

Having wrapped up their Champions League campaign, Chelsea are focusing on securing a top four finish in the Premier League this time around. Manchester City are running away with things, and the main aim for Antonio Conte’s side is making it into next season’s European Cup. There is a slight chance for the champions to get back into the title race, with the two Manchester clubs meeting this weekend and with a kind December fixture list. However, first up they need to claim all three points when they visit the struggling Hammers to have any chance of pushing the leaders later in the season.

Team News: Will Conte Turn to Wingers Against Struggling Hammers?

We can see this being the type of game that would suit Conte’s 3-4-3 approach, as the Italian has plenty of creativity to play in the supporting roles behind Alvaro Morata. Both Willian and Pedro should be pushing for a start in the side ahead of this weekend’s game, while Eden Hazard is in wonderful form of late. That strength is something which the manager needs to take advantage of, especially against an incredibly leaky West Ham defence. Other than that, we struggle to see any major changes for the champions, although the centre-halves could be switched around once again.

West Ham used a 3-5-1-1 system in their defeat at Manchester City, but they did that without a recognised frontman. They looked to pile bodies into the middle of the park for that game, which is a tactic that seemed to work against City. However, with Chelsea playing with two roaming players in advanced positions, the Hammers need a bit of a rethink here. A three-man defence is the standard way to play against the Blues these days, but further up the pitch Moyes needs to make changes if he’s to lift spirits at the London Stadium.

West Ham Form

West Ham come into this weekend’s game after a dreadful run in the Premier League, which led to the sacking of Slaven Bilic. However, the hammers haven’t been able to arrest their slump under new manager Moyes, which is a worrying sign at this point in the campaign. They’re second from bottom as things stand, without a win in eight league matches, but can that change here?

The Hammers have two home league wins this season, which both came against sides in the bottom six in the league, including basement club Swansea. Their other matches haven’t quite gone so well, and they’ve lost every meeting with the top six so far. Based on how the Blues have been faring in the league of late, it’s hard to see things changing for Moyes and his men here.

West Ham v Chelsea Head to Head

The Blues made two visits to the Olympic Stadium during its inaugural campaign, claiming three points in the league here in October. The Blues were knocked out of the EFL Cup at this ground last season, but that came against an experimental Chelsea team. With Conte set to go with the big guns here, given how poor the visitors are at the back, we can see yet another high scoring encounter between these two teams.

• West Ham 1-2 Chelsea, Mar 2017
• West Ham 2-1 Chelsea, Oct 2016
• Chelsea 2-1 West Ham, Aug 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 West Ham, Mar 2016
• West Ham 2-1 Chelsea, Oct 2015

Betting Tips

• Chelsea and over 2.5 goals – 11/8 with Betfred
• Eden Hazard to score any time – 7/5 with Betfair

Chelsea come in to this one priced at 1/2 with Coral for all three points, with the Hammers still searching for a win under former Everton boss Moyes. They aren’t fancied to end that wait this weekend, as the hosts can be backed at 13/2 with BetVictor to claim a home win. The draw is priced at 3/1 with Coral here, but recent years haven’t seen too many stalemates between these two, and we can’t see them finishing level here. The Blues are priced around where they should be given how poor the Hammers have looked this season, but we’re looking at slightly bigger prices for our bets on Saturday’s early kick-off.

West Ham have tended to see high scoring games this season, especially in their defeats. The hosts have lost nine of their 15 league games this term, with almost all of those seeing over 2.5 goals scored. Their only defeat to see fewer than three goals was a dismal 2-0 loss at Watford in Moyes’ opening game after taking charge. Since then, normal service has been resumed with 4-0 and 2-1 defeats to Everton and Man City respectively. This isn’t a new problem for the Hammers – 14 of their 17 defeats last season saw over 2.5 goals, which is why we’re backing the same again here at 11/8 with Betfred.

We can see at least one of the goals coming from the in-form Hazard, who hit another two against Newcastle last week. He has three goals in five league meetings with West Ham, including two in his last three away meetings with the Hammers. We think it’s worth backing him to score any time at 7/5 with Betfair here.

Chelsea wrap up their Champions League group this week, as they face Atletico Madrid in the final European clash before Christmas. The Blues have nothing to worry about on the qualification front, as a 4-0 win over Qarabag sealed their progress to the next round. However, Antonio Conte will have his side focused on finishing top of the pile, which could be vital in the next round. The way the Champions League is shaping up this season, the Premier League champions would likely have PSG and Barcelona among their three options for last 16 opponents if they finish second. Obviously that isn’t ideal, and not just because it would likely result in yet another trip to Paris.

Chelsea’s hopes of progression in this competition rely on recording a strong finish to this group. Roma are at home to Qarabag, meaning Atletico Madrid have next to no chance of going through. That also means that the Italians are heavy favourites to take three points in their final game and jump top of the group, unless Chelsea can claim a victory at Stamford Bridge this week. When you take into consideration that Conte is yet to have a truly successful European campaign as a manager, there’s a lot riding on this game for the home side, so can they repeat their impressive win in Madrid in the reverse encounter?

Team News: Chelsea set for Defensive Switch to Claim top Spot

Chelsea went to Anfield recently with a switch to their usual big game formation. Conte has moved to a 3-5-1-1 formation for meetings with top sides, using it to trouble Man City and win against Tottenham. It was also deployed in the first meeting with Atleti, which worked perfectly against the La Liga side. We fully expect that approach to be wheeled out once again here, denying space to the visitors. That may make this a very cagey game. However, that is something that they’ll need to get used to if they are to progress in this competition.

Atletico are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 system for their meeting with Chelsea, with former Blue Fernando Torres set to start up front. The Spaniards don’t have much width in their side, but they do have Antoine Griezmann in attack to cause problems. He struck from the penalty spot in the meeting in Madrid, and the Frenchman will be a thorn in the side of Chelsea’s defence. However, their system does appear to play in to the hands of any kind of three-man defence that the Blues can play, as they’re likely to be outnumbered across all the main areas of the pitch.

Atletico Madrid Form

Atletico Madrid remain shy of the title race in Spain, being overtaken by Valencia in the push for top spot. As things stand, they face a battle just to return to the Champions League next season, and they’re already set for a drop into the Europa League this term. While their results in La Liga have been solid but uninspiring, things have been going much worse for Diego Simeone’s side in continental competition.

They head into this trip with just one win in the Champions League this term. That victory came at home to Roma last time out, which kept them in contention for a place in the next round. However, that wasn’t enough to give the Spaniards a serious chance of qualifying, as they need a miracle result for Qarabag away to Roma to get through this group. Having dropped four points against the group minnows, it’s easy to see where Atleti have gone wrong in this campaign.

Chelsea v Atletico Madrid Head to Head

Chelsea’s victory at Atletico earlier this season was held up as one of the great performances by an English side in Europe. It was a big defeat for the Spaniards, as they lost their opening Champions League game at their new stadium. That victory was a small dose of revenge, given that Chelsea have lost out to Atletico in a Champions League semi-final and the UEFA Super Cup in recent encounters.

• Atletico Madrid 1-2 Chelsea, Sep 2017
• Chelsea 1-3 Atletico Madrid, Apr 2014
• Atletico Madrid 0-0 Chelsea, Apr 2014
• Chelsea 1-4 Atletico Madrid, Aug 2012
• Atletico Madrid 2-2 Chelsea, Nov 2009

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win – 11/10 with Bet365
• Chelsea to win 1-0 – 7/1 with BetVictor

Chelsea come in to this game as 11/10 favourites with Bet365 to take all three points this week. The visitors are coming in to this game as the outsiders, priced at 12/5 with Ladbrokes to boost their slim qualification hopes with a victory this week. Meanwhile, the draw is 5/2 with Betfred, which is a tempting price in a match that we’re fully expecting to be very close. However, a point doesn’t really suit either side, so will we eventually get a winner?

Chelsea’s system may just tactically stump Atletico, especially if the Blues crowd can push them forward. Atletico’s back four could be pulled out of position by ingenuity in attack from the Pensioners, while having three men in the centre of defence and midfield should see the Premier League champions dominate this game. The Blues need to get over the line to have any chance of making a strong run in Europe, as they simply aren’t going to have the momentum to take on one of Europe’s elite next. Conte needs a more straightforward draw in the next round too, so he’ll be pushing his side to get a victory here. We’re backing a Chelsea win at 11/10 with Bet365.

We can still see this game being a close one, with chances likely to be slim for either side. We don’t expect a high scoring encounter, and we think there’s a lot of value in backing a 1-0 win for the hosts, at 7/1 with BetVictor.

Chelsea are straight back in to Premier League action this weekend, as they host Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. The Blues won 1-0 against Swansea at home on Wednesday night, and they’ll be out to add another three points to the board when the Magpies make the long trip down south. It’s a gruelling one for the away support, heading for London for a lunchtime kick-off, which seems like the usual way for the Premier League to kick off their busy December schedule. Can the champions start their run to the festive period with another victory this weekend?

There’s a bit of an edge to this game for the home support, given that maligned manager Rafa Benitez returns to the club after taking over as Newcastle boss. He guided them through a tough Championship campaign last season, while the Spaniard won the Europa League while at Stamford Bridge in 2013. He wasn’t a popular figure with the Blues’ support before or after his short spell as interim manager, and we expect the home crowd to make that clear when Benitez takes his place within the opposition dugout this weekend.

Team News: Conte Likely to Recall Hazard after Midweek Changes

With three Premier League games in the space of a week, Antonio Conte made changes ahead of the clash with Swansea. The Blues moved back to a 3-4-3 system, with Eden Hazard dropping down to the bench for the clash. Willian and Pedro both impressed late on at Anfield, and they supported Alvaro Morata. We expect the Belgian to return just behind the frontman this weekend, while Cesar Azpilicueta should make a start after being handed a rare break. The midfield duo of N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas should stay, as they seem by far the strongest pairing on recent form.

Newcastle don’t have a great squad at their disposal, which is partly why the fans are so desperate to get a takeover sorted with the January transfer window looming. They come in to this trip with three players absent through injury, which is a blow to a side who have only had 17 players make more than one start in the league this term. Benitez has a core group that he heavily relies on, so don’t expect any big changes from their usual side for this clash.

Newcastle Form

Newcastle made a solid start to life in the Premier League, but things haven’t been quite so easy for them of late. While they were briefly sat up around the European spots, Rafa Benitez is working with a squad of largely Championship players. There just isn’t the quality to keep them in the top half, but that doesn’t excuse their recent poor form. The Toon have taken just a single point from their last five games, and that came away to a West Brom side who are in trouble themselves.

Newcastle had previously lost their last four league matches before that draw at the Hawthorns in midweek. A 3-0 loss to Watford at home is probably the low point of the season for the Magpies, with their usually solid defence falling apart. They’ve been far too open over the course of the last week, which should worry their manager ahead of a daunting trip. They’ve managed just one clean sheet in their previous 10 matches, and we expect Newcastle to struggle at the back when they head to the Bridge.

Chelsea v Newcastle Head to Head

Chelsea were resounding victors in the last meeting between these sides, which came as Guus Hiddink was repairing things at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were 5-1 winners on home soil, having drawn 2-2 with Newcastle at St James’ Park under Jose Mourinho. The Blues have won their last four at home to Newcastle, with the Magpies’ last win here coming just two weeks before the Champions League final win in Munich.

• Chelsea 5-1 Newcastle, Feb 2016
• Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea, Sep 2015
• Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle, Jan 2015
• Newcastle 2-1 Chelsea, Dec 2014
• Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle, Feb 2014

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 10/11 with BetVictor
• Chelsea to win 2-0 – 5/1 with Bet365

Chelsea come into this game as heavy favourites, priced at 1/4 with Ladbrokes to take all three points. Meanwhile, Newcastle can be backed at 14/1 with Coral to end their poor form with a victory over the champions. A point would probably be a boost for the Magpies, and they’re priced at 11/2 with Betfred to return to St James’ Park with a point from Saturday’s early game. Obviously we aren’t going throwing money on the Blues at such a short price, but they should come out of this one with the points and a comfortable win.

One area where Newcastle are really struggling is up front. They’ve looked short of a forward since claiming promotion back to the top flight, but the resources just haven’t been there for the club to add a proven striker. The visitors come in to this game having averaged 0.86 goals per game on their travels this term, while the Blues have conceded just 11 times in their 14 matches this season. Chelsea have managed to keep a clean sheet in four of their last five league matches, and we’re backing them to secure another win to nil here, which can be backed at 10/11 with BetVictor.

The Blues haven’t been scoring too many goals of late, and they come into Saturday’s clash having scored a single goal in four of their last five league matches. Hazard should be able to create a few opportunities against this Newcastle defence, but we don’t see the Blues suddenly racking up a big win given that 71% of their home matches this term have seen under 2.5 goals. That has us backing a 2-0 victory for the hosts at 5/1 with Bet365.

After a creditable draw at Anfield at the weekend, Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge to face a struggling Swansea side. The Blues may have been able to come back from behind to Liverpool, but that’s left them a full 11 points off league leaders Manchester City. With such a massive gap to pull back, is it time for the reigning champions to give up on any potential title aspirations? Either way, Antonio Conte still has a job on his hands to secure Champions League football for the Blues, who are only three points ahead of sixth place ahead of this bonus midweek round of fixtures. Slipping up on Wednesday would be a huge blow to their top four hopes.

This game sees a return for Paul Clement, former Chelsea assistant manager who now has a tough job on his hands at Swansea. Despite saving the Welsh side from the drop last season, his team have dropped down to 19th place in the league ahead of Wednesday night’s clash. That’s the same position they were in when he took charge earlier this year, so clearly not much has changed. Can Clement boost his hopes of keeping his job with a win at the champions, and put another dent in his former team’s distant hopes of winning the title?

Team News: Conte Likely to Bolster the Attack

It could be said that Antonio Conte’s 3-5-2 system was a little too pragmatic against Liverpool, which failed to test Liverpool’s poor defence. When changes were made late on, the game opened up for the champions. The introduction of Cesc Fabregas was crucial, the 3-5-2 set-up is made for the Spaniard.

However, we still expect him to make a start here despite a likely change to 3-4-3, with Willian and Pedro both pushing to start. With Tiemoue Bakayoko failing to impress, we’re backing Cesc to start alongside N’Golo Kante here. Given that Conte has close to a full squad to choose from, he shouldn’t have any other tough decisions to make ahead of this match.

Apart from Kyle Bartley, Swansea have no injuries ahead of this daunting trip. However, on-loan Tammy Abraham is ineligible to play against his parent club. They started with a diamond midfield and two up top last weekend in an attempt to make their side more attacking, but don’t expect the Welsh side to be quite so daring in this game. The Swans will need a bit more defensive steel, and they could potentially switch to a 3-5-2 system to try and match up with Chelsea’s approach. They started with that system in a recent clash at Arsenal, and we expect to see just as much caution from Clement here.

Swansea Form

Swansea are having an awful time of things coming into this game, having taken one point from their last five matches. They may have ended a four game losing streak at the weekend, but that point came in a clash at home to Bournemouth. That’s the kind of game the Swans really need to win in order to survive, and that’s left them in serious trouble heading up to Christmas. At this point, it does seem like Clement has a lot of work to do to keep his job.

Swansea have an awful record on the road, with just two away wins since February in the Premier League. That’s a pretty long spell, and their two victories came at the current bottom side – Crystal Palace – and last season’s bottom team Sunderland. That’s a huge way from taking three points away against the champions, especially after losing some key players in the summer.

Chelsea v Swansea Head to Head

The Swans did have a bit of form against Chelsea, but that was put to the sword in a 3-1 win in February. The Blues started their dismal 2015/16 campaign against the Swans, dropping two points at the Bridge. Conte suffered a similar result early on last season, which was when problems first started to emerge with his 4-1-4-1 system. However, on recent form it’s hard to see a repeat of any Chelsea issues here.

• Chelsea 3-1 Swansea, Feb 2017
• Swansea 2-2 Chelsea, Sept 2016
• Swansea 1-0 Chelsea, Apr 2016
• Chelsea 2-2 Swansea, Aug 2015
• Swansea 0-5 Chelsea, Jan 2015

Betting Tips

• Chelsea to win to nil – 4/5 with Coral
• Chelsea to win 2-0 – 11/2 with BetVictor

Chelsea came into this game as heavy favourites for the points here, they’re 1/6 with Bet365 to claim another home win. Swansea’s awful away form is quite clear in their price here, they can be backed at 18/1 with Ladbrokes to cause a huge shock. Even a draw in this game would be a surprise, and the Swans are out at 6/1 with Betfred to take a point back to Wales. Clearly there’s little value in backing the hosts to come away with a win, but Swansea’s poor away form does offer a few other options.

The Welsh side have managed just three away goals in the league this season, and finding the net has been really hard for them since selling their two main attacking threats in the summer. With Tammy Abraham out of this game, they have even less chance of causing any problems in this trip. The Swans claimed two of their away strikes against Frank De Boer’s awful Crystal Palace outfit, while their lack of shots this season further shows their issues up top. We’re backing a Chelsea win to nil at 4/5 with Coral here.

Conte has been clear about the issues his squad have faced with fixture congestion. With an extra midweek Premier League match, he’s going to want to get his side out in front and close the game down. The Swans are a side who keep things quite tight, so we’re backing a straightforward 2-0 win for the champions, which is 11/2 with BetVictor.

Chelsea head to Anfield on Saturday with three points very much on the agenda. There’s an intriguing top four battle emerging in the Premier League, and a win over Liverpool would lift the Blues above that and more towards a possible tilt at the title itself. They’ll have ambitions of being part of a top three with the Manchester clubs, rather than having to contend with the sides chasing fourth. A few impressive Premier League victories has seen expectations at Stamford Bridge raise, but can they continue to make life difficult for Liverpool at Anfield?

Antonio Conte is facing the only Premier League side that he’s failed to beat since arriving at the club last summer. The Blues won 30 of their 38 games on the way to the Premier League title, but they took just one point from a possible six against Liverpool last season. That was partly down to the similarities between the pair, as they were both looking to make the top four in a season without continental football. Now they’ve both made the jump to the Champions League, it will be interesting to see which team is best equipped to stay there.

Team News: Conte’s 3-5-2 is here to stay

Chelsea come into this game with only Michy Batshuayi on the injury list, which is a big boost for Antonio Conte. He has made a slight tweak to the system this season, using a 3-5-2 set-up for big games. That was always likely to be wheeled out at Anfield, but the system seems to be one that Conte is sticking with. He used it at West Brom last weekend, to great effect.

Post-match Conte talked up the understanding of the two strikers – Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard. Those two played really well together at the Hawthorns, and that could signal a change in thinking from the Blues boss for the remainder of the season. A switch to a three-man defence worked wonders last season, Conte must hope a change to a three-man central midfield can do the same.

Liverpool have few injury worries going into this one, with Nathaniel Clyne their main absentee here. We’re unlikely to see any huge changes to the way they play – which tends to be a in a 4-3-3 set-up. Mohamed Salah is set to be one of the wide-men in that system, as he faces off against his former side. It will be interesting to see how the pace and pressing of that front three lines up against Chelsea’s three man defence, but they have N’Golo Kante in front to help alleviate the pressure at least.

Liverpool Form

The Reds are in impressive form in recent weeks, having strung together a three game winning streak in the league. However, those wins did come against Southampton, West Ham and Huddersfield. They struggled in slightly bigger games before that, losing at Tottenham, drawing with Manchester United and Newcastle. Their biggest Champions League home game saw the Reds draw with Sevilla, so you can question their form in big games. While they rattled four goals past Arsenal, Jurgen Klopp’s men followed that up with a 5-0 loss to Manchester City soon after.

Liverpool do have one of the strongest home records in the league, which makes this a dangerous trip. They’ve conceded just one home goal in the league – and that was to the Premier League’s resident upset merchants Burnley. They are unbeaten in 11 home matches, dating back to April’s loss to Crystal Palace. Having taken 14 points at home, scoring 12 times in six games, Anfield has become something of a fortress for Liverpool, but can Chelsea end that run?

Liverpool v Chelsea Head to Head

Anfield has been a friendly ground for the Blues to visit in recent times. They’ve escaped without defeat in their previous six visits, with their last loss coming five years ago. However, that side was heavily rotated by Roberto Di Matteo, as he battled fixture congestion to guide the side to the Champions League and the FA Cup. It’s over seven years since a full strength Blues side lost at Anfield, but can Klopp’s side end that run this weekend?

• Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea, Jan 2017
• Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool, Sept 2017
• Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea, May 2016
• Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool, Oct 2016
• Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool, May 2015

Betting Tips

• Eden Hazard to score any time – 7/4 with BetVictor
• 1-1 Draw – 6/1 with Coral

Chelsea come into this game as slight outsiders, as they’re priced at 21/10 with Betfred, while the draw is 5/2 with Ladbrokes. The Reds are 6/5 favourites with Bet365, which is understandable given their home form so far this season. However, it’s easy to also see why the home side are above evens, given that they’ve enjoyed a mixed record against the other top sides in recent encounters, with Manchester United taking a 0-0 draw back from Anfield last month.

Chelsea shouldn’t be as defensive as Jose Mourinho was that day, and they have the kind of mercurial talent behind the frontman that United wish they had. Eden Hazard looks great in his new role behind the frontman, and with Liverpool’s midfield not that defensively minded, we can see the Belgian slipping out of sight and finding some space. He’s scored five goals against Liverpool in his career, which is the highest number he’s scored against a Premier League side. We’re backing another strike from Hazard this week, and he’s priced at 7/4 with BetVictor to score any time.

While the Blues are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Liverpool at Anfield, four of those clashes have been draws. That includes the previous three meetings here, which have all finished 1-1. The draw has been the most popular result across the last eight encounters, landing in six of those clashes. We’re backing another 1-1 between these two here, which can be backed at 6/1 with Coral.

Chelsea return to Champions League action on Wednesday, with a slightly earlier 5pm kick off. That’s because the Blues head East out to Azerbaijan, as they aim to book a spot in the last 16 of Europe’s premier competition. A strong run in Europe is going to be a key demand for the Blues this season, following their year out of this tournament last season, and the dismal way in which they exited the competition during the 2015/16 campaign. Can the 2012 European champions make another impressive run in this competition, or will Antonio Conte continue to disappoint on the European stage?

The Italian boss hasn’t got a great record when it comes to guiding side through the latter stages of the Champions League, he never took Juventus too far in this competition despite their domestic dominance. That’s something Conte is out to change, but it really depends on which version of his Blues side shows up for this game. Will they play like they did in their brilliant 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid, or the awful 3-0 defeat Rome last month? If they’re going to make it through this group, then the Blues need to be back to their best here and pick up all three points. Qarabag have improved in Europe of late, so they need to be taken seriously.

Team News: Conte Needs to Switch Approach from Group Opener

One thing is for certain here, Antonio Conte can’t use the same approach that he did for the home meeting with Qarabag. He rotated his side for the clash at Stamford Bridge, with a very much second string Chelsea side taking the Azerbaijani side apart with a 6-0 victory. The scoreline didn’t quite reflect the game ultimately, but things have changed quite a bit since then. With Chelsea second in the group and Qarabag taking two points from two meetings with Atletico Madrid, the Blues have to revert back to their strongest line up for this clash on Wednesday. Expect a full-strength team to take the field here, as Chelsea look to seal their place in the last 16.

We can’t see any reason why Qarabag would make any changes to the side which caused Atletico Madrid so much trouble in their recent encounters. They also tested Roma in their home game, so that 6-0 loss to Chelsea is a real outlier in their results in Europe this season. Qarabag have proven themselves to be a solid side at this level, and we expect them to name a similar side to the one which held Atletico, and they’re likely to give Chelsea a real test in this trip.

Qarabag Form

The hosts have impressed in the Champions League of late, while they’re on course for more domestic success. They’re top of the league in Azerbaijan, and they should extend that lead with a game in hand on the chasing pack. However, the Champions League is the big thing for them this season, given that they’re the first ever Azerbaijani side to play at this level in the Champions League. Can they follow that up by being the first to pick up a group stage victory?

If Qarabag are to win a game in this group, you’d expect that they’ll be targeting their final home game to pick up that victory. After some impressive displays in Europe, the hosts must be full of confidence ahead of this week’s meeting with Chelsea. Qarabag managed to draw 1-1 at Atletico Madrid last time out, following up a hard-fought 0-0 at home. Can they cause a similar shock against Chelsea in their final home game of this European campaign?

Qarabag v Chelsea Head to Head

The only meeting between these two was that 6-0 victory back in September. Obviously Qarabag’s lack of a European track record means they’ve missed out on big Champions League clashes, with these two clubs operating within different worlds. However, we expect this week’s clash to be a much closer affair.

• Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag, Sept 2017

Betting Tips

• Both Teams to Score – 21/20 with Bet365
• Chelsea to win 2-1 – 8/1 with BetVictor

Chelsea are heavy favourites here despite Qarabag’s recent European results, with the Blues priced at 2/5 with Coral to take the points and move into the next round. Meanwhile, the hosts can be backed at 15/2 with Ladbrokes, as they search for a first win in this group. Having drawn their last two games, the Azerbaijan side will be out for another point against the English champions, especially after stopping a side like Atletico Madrid. You can back another draw for the group’s smallest side at 7/2 with Betfred. Obviously there’s not much value there in backing the Chelsea win, but we think this game will be closer than the odds make out.

The Blues should be worried about the increased confidence of the hosts here. In the first meeting at the Bridge Qarabag were finding chances, they just lacked the cutting edge to see them through. However, we don’t expect that to be the case here, especially after landing blows against the two other top sides in this group. Having scored away to Atleti and at home to Roma, we expect Qarabag will be more confident when it comes to burying their chances here. We expect them to grab a goal against the Blues, so our first tip here is both teams to score at 21/20 with Bet365.

We’re also backing a 2-1 win for Chelsea in this trip, as we see them having more fluidity up front than Atletico. The Spaniards have been struggling for goals across this European campaign, but the Blues should have enough cutting edge to take the win they need to maintain their push for top spot. Given that Qarabag lost 2-1 at home to group leaders Roma, that correct score bet looks like great value at 8/1 with BetVictor.

Chelsea are being made to wait this weekend, as they play in the final Premier League fixture before the international break. The Blues face Manchester United in the second of Sunday’s massive double header, one which could prove crucial to the title race. The Blues are hoping to get themselves back in contention for top spot with a result against the second placed side, but they’ve already come up short against Man City this term. There’s a nine point gap between the reigning champions and the current leaders, but can they cut in to that before the squad heads on international duty?

After the midweek loss in Roma, Chelsea need to go off on a high before the break. This has been a troubled spell for the Blues, who this time last year went through October and November without dropping points in the league. This time around, things have been quite different. The performances have been far from the standard required, leaving Conte facing questions over his future. Can the Italian do anything to silence the critics this week, or will Jose Mourinho get one over him once again?

Team News: Conte has Kante on the Fast Track to Recovery

It seems like Conte’s response to the shambles in Rome is to rush N’Golo Kante back into the side. The Frenchman has been an obvious absentee in recent weeks, as he does a job few in world football can accomplish. Without Kante’s energy and positioning, this Chelsea team just aren’t the same. Conte will be hoping his return improves them defensively, but Kante coming back frees up a change in formation. Conte should have the options to go with a 3-5-2 set up this weekend, which should make the champions much tougher to break down than they were in Rome.

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has one kind of approach in big games like this; don’t lose. The former Chelsea boss is well known for parking the bus in big games in England, and it seems like he’s becoming even more conservative as he ages. The way his side frustrated Liverpool and Tottenham last month was impressive, but United were clearly lacking an edge. The absence of Paul Pogba continues to leave United a little short, and he’s not returning any time soon it seems. The midfielder is out of this trip, which gives Conte’s likely three man midfield the edge in the middle of the park.

Manchester United Form

Manchester United have been solid for the most part, losing just once all season. That defeat came against Huddersfield on the road, which makes them a little nervy ahead of this trip. That’s probably why Mourinho refused to let the shackles off his team at Anfield earlier in the season, and why he kept things so tight at home to Tottenham. Those two matches failed to capture the imagination of United’s fans, and neither did the two wins over Benfica in the Champions League.

However, it’s difficult to argue with United’s defensive record. Oddly, the four goals they conceded came in trips to two separate teams, meaning they’ve kept a clean sheet in 80% of their league matches so far. Having shipped just one goal in four Champions League games. The Red Devils are obviously a solid defensive unit, even if they’re a bit dull to watch going forwards.

Chelsea v Manchester United Head to Head

The three meetings between these sides last season were all won by the home side, but things got gradually less impressive for Chelsea over the season. Their 1-0 win over United in the FA Cup was a really tight contest, and it took them a long time to break down 10 men. Meanwhile, the loss at Old Trafford saw Mourinho freeze out Hazard and nullify Chelsea, a tactic which others have adopted this season.

• Man United 2-0 Chelsea, Apr 2017
• Chelsea 1-0 Man United, Mar 2017
• Chelsea 4-0 Man United, Nov 2016
• Chelsea 1-1 Man United, Feb 2016
• Man United 0-0 Chelsea, Dec 2015

Betting Tips

• Under 2.5 Goals – 4/6 with Betfair
• Draw – 9/4 with Betfred

Chelsea may be coming off the back of a nightmare result, but they’re priced at 29/20 with Bet365 to win this clash. Meanwhile, United are further out at 2/1 with Coral, but they’re priced at 8/15 with Ladbrokes to avoid defeat this weekend. Clearly the bookies are struggling to pick a winner between these two, which isn’t surprising in such a big game. Can either of these two grind out the result they need, or will this clash end up a stalemate?

The big worry for Antonio Conte has to be that his side are struggling at the back. If they put in a defensive display like they did in Rome, then there’s no way back against this United side. The champions need to be just as solid as United defensively, or else they’re going to suffer another defeat here. That is why we see Conte turning to the 3-5-2 set-up which they’ve used in big games already this season. Having lacked enough central midfielders for that system in Rome, Kante’s return changes things for the champions. They should be able to shore up the defence with more bodies in midfield, with a forward player likely to miss out on their place.

That should give us a really tight game on Sunday, and our tips reflect that. Three of Chelsea’s last four home games in the league have seen under 2.5 goals scored, and we see a similarly low scoring contest here. Both sides need to set up not to lose, which should result in a game of few chances. We think under 2.5 is great value at 4/6 with Betfair, while we’re backing these two to cancel each other out and share the points. The draw can be backed at 9/4 with Betfred here, and that seems like the most likely outcome between these two.

Chelsea face a tough trip to Rome on Tuesday night in the Champions League. After playing out a draw at home to the Serie A side from the Italian capital, the Blues head for Italy, as Antonio Conte returns to his home country. Will he make as big an impression there as he did in the Spanish capital earlier in this group? With Roma seriously pushing for a top two finish, this group is heading down to the wire, and that should have both sides nervy ahead of this huge clash. With the Blues not in the greatest form in the league, they can’t afford a slip up in Europe.

It’s easy to bemoan the position Chelsea are in following that 3-3 draw with Roma. They were 2-0 up and cruising, set to go seven points clear of Atletico Madrid, and five ahead of Roma. Chelsea now lead the Italians by two points, and the worst case scenario here is a loss to the hosts coupled with Atletico Madrid seeing off minnows Qarabag. That would leave Antonio Conte’s team in a tricky position heading into the final two games, and that would leave this group open for any of those three European heavyweights. There’s so much riding on this one, so the Blues need another big display.

Team News: Conte out to Avoid any Defensive Scares

The return of Danny Drinkwater is a boost for Chelsea, after he started the EFL Cup win over Everton. With N’Golo Kante back in the frame, Conte has midfield options once again. That boosts his potential use of the 3-5-2 formation, as seen against Tottenham, Man City and Atletico Madrid this term. We’re likely to see that team once again, as the manager looks for a more solid set-up to the one which conceded three at home to Roma in the last meeting. That’s a smart move to make with so much on the line in this game, and we expect to see the former Leicester central midfield line-up working together for the Blues in the near future. However, this game might come a little too soon for that.

Roma’s big injury concern here is midfielder Rick Karsdorp, who misses out after injuring his knee. Having just moved to the club in the summer, the defender hasn’t really had the chance to shine for his new employers. Despite that, he would have been a solid figure for Roma to call upon, and now they have more defensive concerns to worry about ahead of this crucial tie. Expect a similar side to the one which held off Atletico Madrid in their group opener, which set the Italians up for a solid campaign in this competition.

Roma Form

Roma have seemingly been preparing for this game with some tight matches, having given up attacking sides who tend to defend poorly. They beat Torino and Crotone by an aggregate score of 2-0, with those two sides conceding their fair share of goals over recent months. However, Roma were solid in both, grinding out much needed victories. Will that be the case once again on Tuesday night?

Roma have been solid in Serie A this season, while their Champions League form has been an odd mix. They started off with a 0-0 at home to Atletico, a genuinely tight game with really high stakes. They followed that up by looking poor at the back against Qarabag away, before that clash with Chelsea. Eusebio Di Francesco will be hoping for a better performance when his side return home in Europe.

Roma v Chelsea Head to Head

Roma have now scored three in both of their last two meetings with Chelsea, although those matches were separated by nine years, and many, many Chelsea mangers. It remains to be seen just how much of an impact their 3-3 draw will have on this game, but the two managers probably have to just start fresh and try and be more solid here.

• Chelsea 3-3 Roma, Oct 2017
• Roma 3-1 Chelsea, Nov 2008
• Chelsea 1-0 Roma, Oct 2008

Betting Tips

• Under 2.5 Goals – 5/4 with BetVictor
• 0-0 Draw – 13/1 with Betfair

Despite throwing away two points in the first meeting, Chelsea come into this trip as marginal favourites. They’ve been priced up at 13/8 with Bet365 to claim the win. Roma are 17/11 with Ladbrokes. With the draw sitting at 12/5 with Betfred, it’s clear that the bookmakers are a tad confused by this one. Just how the two sides approach it will clearly have an impact on matters, but will we see another high scoring tie? The two sides will both be pushing for a place in the knockout round, but could that have an adverse effect on the match overall?

Roma did have a cagey opener with Atletico, and we can see them reverting to that form in this game. While the last meeting was a six goal thriller, you have to wonder how Roma would have approached it if they were level at half-time. They didn’t do anything to deserve to be 2-0 down in that clash, and they only really opened up because they had to. They were welcomed in with open arms by the Blues’ backline, with a shambolic defensive display that can’t happen again.

You have to ask if the game gets on a bit, will there be another 0-0 on the cards for Roma? They’ve been playing with more restrictions in the league of late, and we expect Conte to instruct his men to keep things tight against them. We’re backing under 2.5 goals in this game, which looks like solid value at 5/4 with BetVictor. We’re also liking the look of a 0-0 draw between the two sides, which can be backed at 13/1 with Betfair. With so much on the line, a really low scoring tie seems likely in our book.

Chelsea are back in the top four in the Premier League, and they’ll want to hang on to that when they travel south on Saturday evening. The Blues head to Bournemouth this weekend, a ground where they have a perfect record in Premier League matches. Having seen off an impressive Watford side at the weekend, the Blues will be hoping for another three points to keep their season on track. However, in order to do that they’ll need to improve on last weekend’s showing.

The champions need to fix their issues, with many trying to compare this season to their dismal time under Jose Mourinho in 2015. That title defence was rocky from the outset, but it’s hard to draw too many comparisons. After all, but Blues are only three points worse off this time around than they were at this stage last season. They were fourth at this stage last term too, with Manchester City leading the way at the top. Plenty changed over the following 29 matches, could the same happen this season?

Team News: Could Watford Win Lead to Formation Change?

The Blues had success after making changes against Watford, which involved getting Pedro, Willian and Eden Hazard on the pitch together. The Blues could try and find a way of including those three behind Alvaro Morata here to switch things up, but that would involve a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 with Hazard playing centrally. It would be a big change from Conte from the start, but he’ll want to get the Belgian as involved in the game as possible. The Blues are going to be without N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater once again this weekend, which leaves Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko as the only two options in central midfield.

Bournemouth aren’t likely to make many changes after picking up a vital three points on Saturday. Having seen off Stoke at the Bet365 Arena, it’s hard to see Eddie Howe going out of his way to make changes for this one. He may be tempted to add a little more resilience to his side ahead of a clash with the defending champions, especially after the Blues scored four times without playing well on Saturday. Two notable names who are likely to start in this one are former Blues Asmir Begovic and Nathan Ake. The pair left Stamford Bridge for the south coast in the summer, and now they’re set to face off with their former side.

Bournemouth Form

The Cherries are struggling at home of late, with just one home win in their last four matches. A victory at Stoke on Saturday failed to take the Cherries out of the drop zone, and they’re left in the bottom two. There’s no pressure on Eddie Howe despite their strong start, he has even been linked with the Everton job following Ronald Koeman’s departure.

The Cherries have lost six of their nine matches overall, which would be cause for panic for most sides. Only Crystal Palace’s dismal start has prevented the Cherries from sitting bottom, so Chelsea should be able to take advantage of Howe’s side. While the club should stabilise over the coming weeks, there are serious issues for Bournemouth to deal with right now.

Bournemouth v Chelsea Head to Head

Chelsea have won the last three meetings between these two sides, following a shock 1-0 loss to the Cherries at Stamford Bridge in 2015. That was part of their awful title defence, which must raise alarm bells ahead of this clash. Given the rate that the Blues are conceding goals, they are likely to slip up to this Bournemouth attack once again.

• Bournemouth 1-3 Chelsea, Apr 2017
• Chelsea 3-0 Bournemouth, Dec 2016
• Bournemouth 1-4 Chelsea, Apr 2016
• Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth, Dec 2015

Betting Tips

• Over 2.5 goals – 7/10 with BetVictor
• Eden Hazard to score anytime – 17/10 with Betfair

Chelsea come in to this game at 4/7 with Bet365 to take all three points and they are worthy favourites. That said, they should be slightly longer given their recent struggles, which could affect them in this trip. The draw here can be backed at 3/1 with Ladbrokes, while Bournemouth are out at 9/2 with Betfred for the points. Can the Cherries cause an upset at the Vitality, or will the Blues build on their win over Watford? Conte can’t really afford another slip up here, which would mean they’ve lost to both of the current bottom two. That would be a real blow to their title defence.

Chelsea’s recent defensive issues could give Bournemouth a chance here, and that’s exactly why we’re avoiding siding with the Blues in the match betting. The champions have made too many sloppy errors at the back, which should see Bournemouth get a goal here. The Cherries have scored in three of their four meetings with Chelsea, including both their clashes at the Vitality. However, the Blues have won 7-2 here on aggregate in their two trips, so we expect to see plenty of goals in this game. We’re backing over 2.5 goals in this clash, which has landed in every Chelsea away game this season. It looks like great value at 7/10 with BetVictor.

While the late fightback against Watford saw plenty of Chelsea players come out with credit, one man who didn’t was Hazard. The Belgian did get an early assist, but he was left out of the late fightback for the most part. He should get a chance to make up for that this weekend, given that he tends to enjoy playing against Bournemouth. The Cherries haven’t got the best record against the Belgian winger, conceding four goals in their last three meetings with him. With the possibility of Hazard moving into a central role, we are backing him to score any time at 17/10 with Betfair.

Chelsea return to EFL Cup action on Wednesday night, as the Blues look to wrap up a place in the quarter-finals. This is a competition that Antonio Conte’s side crashed out of early last season, but can they hang in and try to claim League Cup glory? While this will be bottom of Chelsea’s list of priorities, there’s still silverware on the line, and it’s a competition in which the Blues have been successful over the last few years. The champions have a big test to make the next round, as they host Everton.

The Toffees started this season as one of the dark horses for silverware, after a big spending summer at Goodison. Things haven’t been going so well for them lately, but they still have a strong squad and plenty of talent to choose from in this game. The Toffees have enough quality to cause problems at Stamford Bridge, but can under-fire boss Ronald Koeman get them into the next round of the cup?

Team News: Conte Expected to Make Sweeping cup Changes

Chelsea have almost always made big changes in cup games. The FA Cup run last season was built on a second string side, even in the semis Eden Hazard and Diego Costa started on the bench. The EFL Cup isn’t a competition that’s worth risking the likes of Alvaro Morata in, so we expect an almost entirely different 11 where possible here. Michy Batshuayi should get a start, while there could be room to test a few youngsters against Premier League opposition. Charly Musonda would have been a contender to start, but his recent Instagram rant could see him left out of the side for this one.

Everton’s dismal results in the league and Europe recently mean that they should take this game seriously. We could see Wayne Rooney brought into the team, given that he has a decent record at Stamford Bridge in his career. Overall, the Toffees are struggling for pace in their side, but Ronald Koeman seems reluctant to start any of their younger players. Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Oumar Niasse were the two scorers in the last round for Everton, and they’re both in contention to start this trip.

Everton Form

Everton come into this game in awful form, and they’re on the verge of an early exit in Europe. Their defeat at home to Lyon leaves them with one point from their opening three group matches in the Europa League. That loss to Lyon was the 10th time in 12 matches that the Toffees have failed to win, with their only clean sheet in that run coming in this competition against Championship side Sunderland. Can they improve on their recent run at the home of the champions?

It’s hard to make a case for the Toffees here, given that they’ve failed to win their last six away games. Their only victory on the road this term came at Ruzomberok in the Europa League, and that was almost three months ago. Ending that wait is going to be difficult for the Toffees, who have lost seven of their last nine meetings with top six sides. They’ve not got a lot of hope coming in to this one, they’re just going to have to rely on an understrength Chelsea side failing to click here.

Chelsea v Everton Head to Head

Everton had a decent run of form against Chelsea, until Antonio Conte arrived at the Bridge. The Blues have since won three meetings with Everton, scoring 10 and conceding none. The champions already have a result against the Toffees this term, having won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge at the end of August. Will they be able to secure another home win this week and move in to the quarter-finals of the cup?

• Chelsea 2-0 Everton, Aug 2017
• Everton 0-3 Chelsea, Apr 2017
• Chelsea 5-0 Everton, Nov 2016
• Everton 2-0 Chelsea, Mar 2016
• Chelsea 3-3 Everton, Jan 2016

Betting Tips

• Both teams to score – 10/11 with Bet365
• Over 2.5 Chelsea goals – 6/4 with Coral

Chelsea are widely expected to make it through, as they’re 2/5 favourites with BetVictor for this game. They’ve surely benefited from Everton’s poor form, which has the Toffees out at 7/1 with Ladbrokes for the points. Meanwhile, the draw here can be backed at 39/10 with Betfair, so obviously few are expecting this to be a long night. There’s not a huge amount of value in backing the home win at that price, especially when there’s going to be a huge number of changes being make by Antonio Conte. However, we believe we have found value elsewhere here by looking towards the goal markets.

The hosts have been far from solid at the back in recent weeks, and their second string side are likely to suffer the same kinds of issues. The Blues have played two home League Cup games under Conte, which have seen them concede three against Bristol City and Nottingham Forest. All four of their matches in this competition under Conte have seen both teams score, so we’re backing that as our main tip for this game at 10/11 with Bet365. While the visitors are struggling for results, they should have enough quality up front to take advantage of a changed Chelsea defence.

We’re also backing Chelsea to grab a few goals here, with over 2.5 for the hosts priced at 6/4 with Coral. The Blues have Michy Batshuayi in impressive form when he gets a chance outside of the Premier League, after he hit a hat-trick in the last round. With genuine squad depth now, the Blues should have a strong attack on show against Everton, and we can see them racking up a few goals against a side who are in awful form. That makes us think that over 2.5 goals from the home side is the best value bet here.