Chelsea will be eager to bounce back to winning ways when they take on West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday.
The games continue to come thick and fast in the Premier League, with Gameweek 23 set to kick off on Saturday. And the latest round of fixtures will begin with a London Derby as West Ham United and Chelsea meet for the 120th time in the lunchtime fixture on Saturday at the London Stadium.
West Ham United came into the 2022/23 season after becoming European regulars in the last few campaigns. But while the Hammers have been top-class in the UEFA Europa Conference League, they have struggled to stamp their authority in the Premier League. However, David Moyes’s men have not lost their last two games, thus emerging out of the relegation zone.
On the other hand, inconsistency has been the name of the game for Chelsea in 2022/23. Thomas Tuchel did not even last a month into the new season before Graham Potter replaced him. And while Todd Boehly has loosened his purse strings, the results have not duly followed. The Blues are thus ninth in the Premier League standings, although they are currently on a three-game unbeaten run, with their latest result a goalless draw with Fulham.
The reverse fixture saw Chelsea come from a goal down to beat West Ham United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, with Kai Havertz scoring the late winner. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
West Ham United
Working hard with high intensity 👊 pic.twitter.com/XiFlZv0w7v
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 8, 2023
David Moyes has a new fitness concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest game. Against Chelsea on Saturday, the West Ham United manager will be bereft of the services of six first-team players.
Thilo Kehrer is the latest absentee, with the German international sustaining a hamstring injury last week against Newcastle United. Kehrer has joined Alphonse Areola (hamstring), Kurt Zouma (thigh), Maxwel Cornet (calf), Danny Ings (knee), and Gianluca Scamacca (knee) on the sidelines.
Ben Johnson should replace the injured Aguerd in the starting eleven, with Moyes likely to line West Ham up in the 3-4-2-1 formation that has delivered success lately. The 23-year-old will join Angelo Ogbonna and Nayef Aguerd in the central defensive unit. And Lukasz Fabianski picks himself between the sticks.
Vladimir Coufal is the obvious choice for the right wing-back slot, with Emerson Palmieri starting on the left flank. Meanwhile, Lucas Paqueta has settled down aptly at the London Stadium. And the Brazilian international will join Chelsea target Declan Rice in the middle of the park.
Jarrod Bowen has been the standout performer again for West Ham this season. And the English international will be the go-to man for Moyes in the final third against Chelsea. Bowen will likely feature alongside Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio in the offensive unit.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Fabianski; Johnson, Ogbonna, Aguerd; Coufal, Paqueta, Rice, Emerson; Bowen, Benrahma; Antonio
Chelsea
Unlike his counterpart in the West Ham United dugout, Graham Potter has greeted a positive update on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. But the Chelsea manager will still be without seven first-team players on Saturday.
The good news is that Joao Felix is available again after serving his three-match suspension. But Edouard Mendy (finger), Wesley Fofana (knee), N’Golo Kante (hamstring), Mateo Kovacic (calf), Denis Zakaria (thigh), Christian Pulisic (knee), and Armando Broja (knee) remain unavailable.
Join @joaofelix70's training session with us! 👋 pic.twitter.com/65INwJFtGB
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 9, 2023
Felix might return to the starting eleven straight away, replacing Kai Havertz in the “False Nine” role. The Portuguese international should join Mykhaylo Mudryk and Raheem Sterling in the final third. Meanwhile, Potter can bank on Noni Madueke, Hakim Ziyech, and Havertz as the backup offensive options.
Enzo Fernandez took no time to stamp his authority in his first game for Chelsea. And the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner should join Conor Gallagher and Mason Mount in the middle of the park. Fernandez will sit at the base of the midfield unit, with Gallagher and Mount looking to carve out the openings.
Thiago Silva continues to age like fine wine and will take his usual spot between the sticks again. The Brazilian international will pair up with Benoit Badiashile at the heart of the Chelsea defence. Reece James should be fit to start as the right-back again, with Marc Cucurella featuring as the left-back. Finally, Kepa Arrizabalaga picks himself between the sticks.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kepa; James, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Gallagher, Fernandez, Mount; Sterling, Felix, Mudryk
Key Stats
- West Ham United have alternated between winning (4) and not winning (D1 L2) in their last seven Premier League home games against Chelsea, winning this fixture 3-2 last season. But the Blues have won four of their last five Premier League games against West Ham (L1) and are looking to win three in a row against them for the first time since April 2011.
- West Ham have lost eight of their last ten Premier League London Derbies, the exceptions being a draw against Tottenham Hotspur and a win over Fulham this season. Meanwhile, if Chelsea win, they will be the first team to reach 150 London Derby victories in the Premier League.
- West Ham have earned four points from their last two Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous nine (W1 D1 L7). Only once this season have they gone three league matches unbeaten, doing so in October against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Southampton.
- Chelsea’s last two Premier League matches have finished 0-0. They last failed to score in more consecutive league games in September 2007 (4), while they have never had three consecutive goalless draws in their league history.
- Raheem Sterling has been involved in nine goals in his five Premier League appearances against West Ham United at the London Stadium (four goals, five assists), the most of any non-West Ham player on the ground.
Player to Watch
Joao Felix
Felix could not have made the worst-possible start to life as a Chelsea player. The Portuguese international looked good on his debut but made a dreadful challenge to see a straight red card. And he has had to wait a long time for his second appearance for the west London club.
With Chelsea out of both cup competitions, Felix missed the last three Premier League games. And he will be itching to return to the field and make his mark for the Blues against West Ham United. In the process, the 23-year-old will be out to prove that he and Chelsea are a match made in heaven.
Prediction
West Ham United 1-1 Chelsea
The match pits two teams who have been struggling to embark on a winning run. Chelsea might be in a relatively better position than West Ham United. But the Blues have endured an equally frustrating campaign as the Hammers thus far this season.
The west Londoners won their first three Premier League games under Graham Potter but have managed just two victories in their subsequent 12 outings (D5 L5). With goals coming at a premium and West Ham showing more resilience, a score draw seems on the cards.
David Moyes has seen Jarrod Bowen pick up his form, with the defensive unit also improving. And the hosts should frustrate Chelsea to ensure a share of the spoils at the London Stadium on Saturday. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw in the 120th meeting between the two sides.
