Chelsea vs. Gent: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Chelsea are in very good form coming into this game with four straight wins on the bounce and no defeats in five. The Blues have been excellent in front of goal, scoring 12 goals in their last three outings, and have lost only one game at Stamford Bridge since February.

Gent have scored in four of their last five games away from home and we expect them to be competitive here, but Chelsea are in good shape and with the players they have at their disposal it's hard to back against them here. Chelsea 2-1 Gent.

This Thursday, Chelsea will face Gent in the UEFA Europa Conference League in what should be a pretty competitive affair. While this competition might not carry the same prestige as the Champions League or the Europa League, for Chelsea, it represents a unique opportunity to complete a first-ever European set, having already lifted both of the aforementioned trophies. For Gent, a club with a must less storied European past, a strong showing in the competition could serve as a turning point with the club having been deprived of major success for the last few years.

• Date: 03/10/2024
• Kick-off time: 20:00
• Location: Stamford Bridge, London

After a few difficult years where they became somewhat of a punching bag in English football discourse due to their vast spending with little success to show for it, Chelsea appear to be turning a corner. Now sitting 4th in the Premier League, the London club have enjoyed a solid start to the Premier League season, and under new manager Enzo Maresca, there is a growing sense that things are beginning to click. Maresca, a well-regarded tactician known for his focus on structure and attacking football, has brought a level of stability to Chelsea that the team has been crying out for, but most importantly he's shown a level of tactical adaptability that is not commonly associated with his approach.

For Chelsea, the Conference League represents both an opportunity and a challenge. While some may view the competition as a step down given the club's stature and history in the Champions League, Chelsea fans, and likely the players, will see this tournament as a chance to complete the trifecta of European trophies, a currently uncompleted feat in football, having already won the Champions League and the Europa League twice.

The Blues’ good form this season can be attributed to several standout performances from key players; one such player is Cole Palmer, who has quickly become the club's talisman. With six goals and four assists in just six Premier League matches, Palmer has carried his impressive form from last season into the current campaign, easing any fears that last season was something of a one-off. His intelligent decision-making, creativity, and ruthless ball-striking make him an end-product machine, but the attacker will have no impact on this game, or possibly the Conference League as a whole, because the club have decided against including him in the squad for this competition, instead prioritising his rest and recovery.

In defence, Levi Colwill has emerged as one of Europe's most promising young centre-backs, with the 21-year-old proving to be a revelation under Maresca, consistently delivering commanding performances at the heart of Chelsea's defence. His ability to read the game and win duels, combined with his calmness on the ball and outstanding distribution, has seemingly made him an undisputed starter in Maresca's side. A player many regard as a potential England starter for many years to come, Colwill's development is a huge positive for Chelsea - particularly so given he's a product of the club's academy - as they look to develop a young squad into serial winners.

On the other side of the pitch, Gent will approach this game with fearless opportunism. The Belgian side, currently 3rd in the Pro League, have had a decent start to their domestic campaign; however, the UEFA Europa Conference League presents an opportunity to assert themselves on the European stage after years without much of a presence on the continental stage. Having not finished higher than 5th in the Belgian league since the 2019-20 season and only managing a 7th-place finish last year, the club is eager to demonstrate that they're moving in the right direction.

Under manager Wouter Vrancken, Gent are looking to build a more competitive side, and early signs this season suggest they could be on the right path. Like Maresca, Vrancken is tasked with developing a very youthful squad, and one player benefiting from that process is 20-year-old English striker Max Dean, who is providing some much-needed attacking impetus up top. Signed from MK Dons in the summer, Dean has hit the ground running with five goals in all competitions, and although young and still adjusting to life in Belgium, his performances so far suggest he could become a key player for the club in both domestic and European competitions, potentially paving the way for a big move to a top five league in the future.

While Gent do not have the same kind of rich European history as Chelsea, they have had moments of success. The club reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Conference League in the 2022-23 season, and they have previously enjoyed runs to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2015-16 and 2016-17. Additionally, their journey to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 1991-92 also stands out as a historic achievement; however, sustained success in European competition has often eluded them, and the invention of the Conference League provides a chance to clubs of Gent's stature to change that.

This game will be televised to all subscribed UK viewers on TNT Sports 2.

Chelsea Team News:

Chelsea's only injury absentee for this game is Reece James, who continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

Neither Cole Palmer nor Roméo Lavia will be involved here, with neither man included in the squad for this competition.

Predicted lineup: Jörgensen; Gusto, Disasi, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Lavia, Veiga; Sancho, Nkunku, Félix; Jackson.

Gent Team News:

Gent are coming into this game with no fresh injury worries.

Max Dead should retain his place up top after a goal at the weekend, while fellow Englishman Archie Brown is in line to start at left-back.

Predicted lineup: Roef; Gambor, Watanabe, Mitrović, Brown; Ito, Delorge; Fadiga, Vancsa, Surdez; Dean.

Chelsea's most recent game saw them claim an impressive 4-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. The game was essentially the Cole Palmer show as the attacker recorded four goals in the first half, including a peach of a free-kick, to win the game for the Blues after they'd fallen behind early doors.

That result followed a 5-0 win over Barrow in the EFL Cup, a 3-0 win over West Ham United, a 1-0 win over Bournemouth and a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Gent's form is solid too, as the Belgians come into this one with three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five games. At the weekend Gent secured a comprehensive 3-0 win over Oud-Heverlee Leuven, with goals from Max Dean, Noah Fadiga and Andri Guðjohnsen sealing the win.

Prior to that, Gent lost 2-1 to Cercle Brugge, beat Club Brugge 4-2, beat Mechelen 2-0 and drew 1-1 with Antwerp.

• Latest match predictions
• Football tips
• Football accumulator tips
• Football bet of the day