West Ham United is having one of its best seasons in recent years but that isn’t enough to be favorites in its next match. Chelsea sits atop the English Premier League after not losing in its last eight games. That is enough to dominate the soccer odds board at -135 when it visits West Ham on Saturday.
Manchester City and Liverpool will be cheering for the Hammers while Arsenal will do the same for the Blues. That’s how crucial this game is.
West Ham vs Chelsea 2021 Premier League Matchday 15
Chelsea Almost Perfect
Overall, Chelsea hasn’t lost in its last 12 games. That includes the UEFA Champions League and the League Cup. Besides leading the EPL, they already advanced to the UCL Round of 16 and the League Cup quarterfinals. We’re talking about a very disciplined team.
Most recently, the Blues beat Watford 2-1, the very same team that not long ago beat Manchester United 4-1. Hakim Ziyech came off the bench to score the winning goal. Also, it made bettors a winner if you bet on the total going over 2½ at -135, like we predicted.
Sometimes, I think Thomas Tuchel isn’t a head coach, but a magician. Chelsea wins even when playing without a center forward. Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner started on the bench against Watford and Werner didn’t play at all. Rumor has it that Werner is one of Manchester United’s top targets for the next transfer window.
The Blues have lost only one game, and it was at home. That’s right, they’ve been an even more reliable soccer pick when playing on the road thanks to a 6-1-0 record. Also, they scored in all seven away matches.
But enough about offense, because Chelsea owns the best defensive unit in the league. They’ve allowed six goals in 14 games. That’s crazy. Can you believe that Chelsea only paid £22 million for goalkeeper Edouard Mendy?
Only N’Golo Kante is out due to injury, but Jorginho is well rested after not playing against Watford. He can command the midfield without any problem.
Chelsea’s predicted lineup: Edouard Mendy; Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah; Reece James, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso, Ruben Loftus-Cheek; Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz.
West Ham United Putting Up a Good Fight
Head coach David Moyes has also done a fantastic job. So good that Manchester United is regretting letting him go after only one season.
West Ham United is among the EPL top five. United, Leicester City and Tottenham can’t say that and all three have a bigger budget.
The Hammers can’t get overconfident, though, after not winning in their last three games. Most recently, they drew 1-1 to Brighton but it felt like a loss. They were favorites (-115) and Brighton scored with only one minute left on the clock. Prior to that, they also lost to Manchester City (2-1) on a very late goal.
If you need a particular reason to consider including them in your betting online ticket, how about Michail Antonio? The Jamaican is the team’s top scorer with six goals, none from the penalty spot. His speed is second to none.
Playing at home makes them a tempting underdog, especially because they’ve scored in all their matches at London Stadium. Just to give you an idea, if you decide to bet $100 on them, you could walk away with $480.
No major injuries to report here, that’s why the line hasn’t moved much.
West Ham United’s predicted lineup: Lukasz Fabianski; Ben Johnson, Craig Dawson, Kurt Zouma, Aaron Cresswell; Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice, Pablo Fornals, Said Benrahma, Arthur Masuaku; Michail Antonio.
West Ham vs Chelsea Head to Head
- Previous Matches: 114
- Chelsea Victories: 50 (179 goals)
- West Ham United Victories: 42 (162 goals)
- Draws: 22
Last season, Chelsea was a very profitable sports betting option when playing against West Ham United. They won both EPL contests by a 4-0 aggregate. They won 3-0 at Stamford Bridge before posting a 1-0 win at London Stadium.
I wouldn’t expect a goal-fest, as the total went under in six of their last 10 meetings. Don’t worry, that doesn’t mean we won’t have a highly entertaining game.
West Ham vs Chelsea Game Information
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
- Location: London Stadium
- Chelsea vs West Ham United Live Stream: fuboTV
West Ham vs Chelsea Betting Lines
West Ham vs Chelsea Prediction
Chelsea is the better team and deserves to be the favorite, but West Ham United won’t be easy prey. I expect a very close game, enough for the under trend to continue. That’s why for this prediction I relied on the props. Chelsea’s confidence is up to the roof and its defense will shine again. West Ham will be heartbroken once again.
Score Prediction: Chelsea 1, West Ham United 0
