West Ham United FC vs Chelsea FC, English Premier League 2024-25, Today Match Prediction

West Ham United FC vs Chelsea FC Match Prediction & Analysis

One of the most thrilling Premier League matches of this weekend will take place at the London Stadium where Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham and Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea will clash on Saturday evening.  West Ham drew their last match against Fulham 1-1, courtesy of Danny Ings' goal late in the 95th minute to level the scores. Meanwhile, Chelsea won their last match against AFC Bournemouth 1-0. Christopher Nkunku scored a goal in the 86th minute as the Blues registered their second win of the season. 

Current Standings -  West Ham are currently standing 14th with one win, two losses and one draw, and a goal differential of -1. Meanwhile, the Blues are in 8th position with two wins, one loss and one draw, and a goal differential of +3. 

Head to Head Record -  Both West Ham and Chelsea have clashed off 56 times in the Premier League. Chelsea has a dominant record with 30 wins (18 home, 12 away), while West Ham have 16 wins (11 at home and 5 away). Additionally, 10 games have ended in a draw.  

TEAMS PREVIEW

West Ham United FC Preview

Last season, the Hammers conceded the most goals among the other teams that finished in the top half of the table, with a 14-goal deficit. Coming into the season, Julen Lopetegui was anticipated to focus on these areas. So far, the Hammers have done a decent job in that regard, but there is still cause for concern. 

West Ham, a team that places an emphasis on solidifying its defence and making it difficult for opponents to score, has conceded three of its six goals in the first twenty-five minutes of their matches. That means that instead of comfortably setting the tone for their matches, they were compelled to start chasing the games from the outset, even if it meant compromising their plans. And, consequently, they lost two of the three games and could have lost the final game as well. 

Tactics against the Blues

Chelsea has only kept one clean sheet in its last 18 away games. They suffer away from home, particularly in defence, and these are the areas that Julen Lopetegui will look to exploit. To do this, the Hammers ought to be proactive in the beginning. 

West Ham’s Emerson Palmieri had to leave early during the match against Fulham because of an injury. He needs to be re-evaluated before facing his former club. Moreover, Niclas Fullkrug missed the last game due to a knock while he was away on international duty.

Stats that matter - 

West Ham are ranked 15th in ball possession with 42.5% averaging 13.2 shots per game. The Hammers score an average of 1.25 goals per match with a shooting accuracy of 21%. Tomas Soucek, Jarrod Bowen, Danny Ings and Lucas Paqueta all scored one goal a piece with an average of 3.5 saves per game, the sixth best in the season. They have conceded an average of 1.50 goals per match.  

West Ham Starting Lineup - A.  Areola (GK); A. Wan-Bissaka, M. Kilman, Emerson, K. Mavropanos (Defenders); E. Alvarez, G. Rodriguez, J. Bowen, M. Kudus, T. Soucek (Mid-fielders); M. Antonio (Forward)

Chelsea FC Preview

The Blues have had a mixed season thus far. They have had highs such as trouncing Wolves 6-2 away from home, while failing to win Crystal Palace at home and narrowly overcoming Bournemouth away by a 1-0 margin thanks to a late goal. That said, Enzo Maresca won't be too disappointed with his team's current performance—two wins, one a draw, and a loss—given how they have shown early promise of doing something exceptional at the end of the season. 

Bench Strength to the rescue

It may be too early to say this, but the Blues have done an excellent job of bolstering their team through transfers this season, and it is paying off. They have almost two quality players for every position now. . The late win at AFC Bournemouth demonstrated how crucial squad depth will be, with the likes of Jaden Sancho and Nkunku coming off the bench and helping their team get those three vital points. Ahead of a busy week with a cramped schedule, the quality of players on the bench will determine the outcomes of many matches.

Chelsea have shown a stronger record after keeping Enzo Fernandes out from the starting lineup. This can be compared with their performances when the World Cup winner plays in midfield. However, for a game of this magnitude, it is expected that Fernandez will replace Renato Veiga to partner with Moises Caicedo.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will likely be named on the bench. Due to a congested schedule, Chelsea might take a cautious approach with Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia. Consequently, either Axel Disasi or Tosin Adarabioyo could feature at right-back and Cole Palmer may keep his spot in the number-10 position rather than being switched to the flank.

Although Chelsea will be missing out on Reece James for this game, Maresca’s team could gain a potential boost with the return of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo Fernandez, Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia to training. 

Stats that matter -

The Blues ranked 6th in ball possession with 60% averaging 11.8 shots per game. They score an average of 2 goals per match with a shooting accuracy of 45%. Noni Madueke has scored the most goals (3) for Chelsea. Nicholas Jackson has scored two goals and is the second best scorer for Chelsea this season. The team has an average of 3.5 saves per game, the seventh best in the season. They have conceded an average of 1.25 goals per match.  

Chelsea Starting Lineup -  R. Sanchez (GK); A. Disasi, W. Fofana, L. Colwill, M. Cucurella (Defenders); M. Caicedo, R. Veiga, N. Madueke, C. Palmer, P. Neto (Mid-fielders); N. Jackson (Forward)

WEST HAM UNITED FC vs CHELSEA FC
Winning Prediction

Things aren't looking rosy for the Hammers, as they have lost two of their last three matches at home. And it doesn't help that Chelsea have an overall dominant record against them. However, most of Blues’ success has happened at home. In their last five games at the London Stadium, they have won just once while facing three defeats. The last time Chelsea were at the London Stadium, they lost 1-3, while West Ham will also remember their 0-5 humiliation late last season. 

Given Chelsea's troubles in finding goals outside of the Wolves encounter and West Ham's struggles in conceding early goals, all three outcomes are possible in this match. However, we feel Chelsea will be the only team that can come away with three points from this game. 

Chelsea FC to Win (2-1)

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