Pandora Hughes
- West Ham v Chelsea
- Saturday February 11 2023, 07:30 ET
- At London Stadium, London
Chelsea takes on a bitter London rival this weekend, but the Blues can break the Hammers’ mini revival and pick up a crucial three points.
Who do Bettors Favor?
According to the best-rated online sportsbooks Chelsea is the strong favorite with bettors to claim victory from this visit to East London. The visiting team is rated as a +136 chance to win here, while West Ham is priced at +230 and the draw is available at +235.
| West Ham v Chelsea |  |  |  |
| West Ham | +235 | +230 | +230 |
| Draw | +240 | +226 | +235 |
| Chelsea | +136 | +127 | +135 |
West Ham Turning the Corner
Going into the game against Everton at the end of January, it was rumoured that West Ham manager David Moyes was at imminent risk of the sack. In the end, though it was his opposite number Frank Lampard, at his former club, who paid the price, when the Hammers won 2-0.
That win may signal that West Ham is turning the corner this season, although the team is still in 16th position in the league, and has been in the bottom half for the whole campaign.
The victory against Everton was followed by an impressive draw against Newcastle, which means that West Ham has picked up as many points in its last two games as in the preceding nine, and Moyes will also be hoping that his team can register another clean sheet at home.
Chelsea Lacking Goals
Chelsea’s move to swap Thomas Tuchel with former Brighton boss Graham Potter back at the start of September initially appeared to be a sound one, but a few early wins could not cover up the problems associated with the Chelsea squad. A 4-1 loss at Brighton triggered a slump and the Blues won just two points from five ahead of the World Cup break. Their form has not improved much in 2023 and Chelsea goes into this game in ninth place in the Premier League.
It isn’t all doom and gloom. Potter’s team has a good defensive record that is only bettered by Newcastle and Arsenal. The problems lie at the other end of the pitch as Chelsea’s recent performances have been lacking shot creation and goals. In fact, the Blues have scored just five goals in seven Premier League games, which is not the kind of statistical record that will propel a team up the table.
EPL Betting Head-to-Head
All London derbies have a certain amount of local pride at stake, even if that isn’t immediately obvious from looking at a map. These two teams are at opposite ends of the capital, but have a rivalry that has been one of the most ferocious, and at times violent in the whole of English football, perhaps underpinned by the wealth gap between the prosperous West End and the relatively poverty of East London.
The first ever match between the two came relatively late, in 1923, and ended in a 0-0 draw, and over the years, it has remained relatively close, apart from one spell between 2004 and 2011 when Chelsea went undefeated in 13 games against the Hammers, winning 11 of those.
The complete head-to-head record shows that Chelsea has the edge, with 54 wins to 43 for West Ham and 22 drawn games. Chelsea also won the last meeting between the teams, at Stamford Bridge in September, thanks to late goals from Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz.
EPL Team News
West Ham will be without some key players again for this game. Kurt Zouma is still out, although is expected to be back relatively soon. Maxwell Cornet and Alphonse Areola will also be unavailable, but there is better news on Gianlucca Scamacca, who could be fit in time to feature.
At long last the team news seems to be turning in Chelsea’s favor. Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and Reece James all featured in the game against Fulham, and all three could be in line for a start here, as could Wesley Fofana, who is back in first team training.
Mykhailo Mudryk, who came off against Fulham, is back in full training and could feature here, as could Joao Felix, who has now served his four game red-card ban.
EPL Match Betting Pick
Based on recent form, this has the makings of a scrappy and low scoring game, with both teams relatively happy to emerge unbeaten. That may ultimately prove to be the case, but it is notable that Chelsea’s extensive injury list is beginning to shorten, and Potter now has some key attacking players available.
Combine that additional attacking edge with Chelsea’s impressive defensive resolution, and there is potential for considerable improvement for the Blues. For Chelsea fans, there are few better places to start a revival than East London, and the Chelsea win in the Match Betting market is the best pick.
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