West Ham vs Chelsea: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

This London derby should be a tightly contested fixture, though we expect the visitors to leave with a narrow win. West Ham are without a clean sheet in their last nine games against Chelsea. The Blues tend to start well in this fixture, scoring the first goal in seven of the previous nine meetings.

Nicolas Jackson scored twice in the most recent meeting at Stamford Bridge, and this season has three goal contributions in four games. He should have a significant impact in this game for his side.

Five of the previous seven West Ham games have seen both teams score. Chelsea have a similar record with the BTTS market landing in six of the last nine. As a result, we are backing both teams to score with an away victory – West Ham 1-2 Chelsea

Chelsea make the short trip across London to face West Ham in the lunchtime kick-off, with the visitors looking to build on a victory last weekend.

Date: 21/09/24

Kick-off time: 12:30

Venue: London Stadium

A late Danny Ings strike against Fulham at the weekend prevented a third defeat of the season for West Ham. The point means they lie in 14th place ahead of their fixture with Chelsea. Under new management in Julen Lopetegui, it has been a disappointing start to the campaign with four points from 12.

They face a Chelsea side who also have a new manager in Enzo Maresca, who joined from Leicester to replace Mauricio Pochettino. It has been a mixed start for his side too, with two wins, a draw and a defeat. There has been lots to admire about the Blues so far, particularly in attack, but many questions remain about their ability to return to the top four. It is often difficult to predict which Chelsea will show up, the side who beat Wolves 6-2 away, or the side who could not defeat Crystal Palace at home. Missed chances have been a feature, just like it was so many times last year.

One player who cannot be questioned, however, is Cole Palmer. After a stunning breakthrough campaign last year, the Englishman has made a brilliant start with one goal and four assists. Noni Madueke is also stepping up, having already scored a hat-trick. Nicolas Jackson remains up front, and the attack has been bolstered by the signings of Pedro Neto, Joao Felix and Jadon Sancho.

There is plenty of offensive talent to cause problems for a Hammers’ defence who have kept just one clean sheet so far. Though away from home, Chelsea’s biggest cause for concern is their own defence. They have kept just one clean sheet in their last 18 away league games, though that did come in a 1-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend. A tricky trip to West Ham will be a good test to see if they have turned a corner.

Only four goals have been scored by the hosts this season, but they will be confident in exploiting their visitors’ weakness. Jarrod Bowen scored 16 goals last year and has one of his side’s goals this season. Michail Antonio leads the line with Mohammed Kudus on the opposite flank, a fearsome trio on paper.

Since 2020, these two teams have played against each other nine times in the Premier League. Chelsea have edged the head-to-head during this stretch with five wins to West Ham’s three. However, whilst Chelsea’s overall record against the Hammers is slightly superior, most of their success has come at home. In their last five games at the London Stadium, they have won just once with three defeats. This includes a 3-1 loss away early last season, in which the hosts scored either side of a Carney Chukwuemeka equaliser. The most recent meeting was a 5-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with # Palmer, Conor Gallagher, Madueke and Jackson on the scoresheet.

West Ham vs Chelsea will be available to watch on TNT Sports 1.

West Ham

New signing Niclas Fullkrug picked up an injury and will be assessed ahead of the weekend. Emerson Palmieri is also a doubt to face his former side as he deals with a knee injury. The Hammers should have a fully fit squad to choose from otherwise.

Chelsea

Jadon Sancho made his debut last weekend as a half-time substitute and set up the winning goal, earning him man of the match. He could be rewarded with a start in the next game. Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall missed out against Bournemouth through illness but should be available to return. Malo Gusto could also return following injury. Captain Reece James has yet to play a game this season due to injury and suspension, and his return date remains unclear.

West Ham:

In their last five games, West Ham have won two, lost two and drawn one. It has been a mixed start to the season for the Hammers, but they have faced some tough opponents. The first game of the campaign was a home fixture against Aston Villa, and they lost 2-1. Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran scored either side of a Lucas Paqueta penalty.

They quickly got back on track in the next game with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace. Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scored within five minutes of each other in the second half to secure the three points. Their last league game before the international break was at home to Champions Man City. Erling Haaland put the visitors ahead before an own goal tied it against the run of play. Haaland could not be stopped though as he scored twice more.

Between these two games was an EFL Cup game with Bournemouth. Bowen’s 88th-minute goal sent West Ham through as 1-0 winners. Their latest game was a London Derby at Fulham. They came away with a 1-1 draw after Danny Ings equalised in the 95th minute following a Raul Jimenez opener.

Chelsea:

In their last five games, Chelsea have won three, drawn one and lost one. It has been an inconsistent start to the season for Chelsea under new manager Enzo Maresca. The first game in this run was the first leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier against Swiss side Servette. They were 2-0 winners with goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke. The second leg ended in a 2-1 defeat, though they advanced on aggregate.

Between these two games was an impressive 6-2 victory away at Wolves. Goals from Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer gave them the lead twice, but they were pegged back on both occasions before the break. In the second half the Blues dominated, with Madueke netting a 14-minute hat-trick and Joao Felix adding a sixth.

They were unable to continue this momentum as they drew 1-1 at home to Crystal Palace. Jackson put them in front, but a brilliant strike from Eberechi Eze ensured the points were shared. Last time out they travelled to Bournemouth, where they were narrow 1-0 winners. Robert Sanchez gave away a penalty in the first half but redeemed himself by saving Evanilson’s spot-kick. The hosts were the better team, but an 86th minute goal from Nkunku secured all three points for the Blues.

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