Football
West Ham vs Chelsea Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
West Ham welcome Chelsea to the London Stadium for a Premier League encounter on Friday evening. The hosts got off to a rather lackluster start, going down 0-3 to newly promoted Sunderland, but also feeling as though they showed very little for fans to get exited about. Chelsea come into the season with a degree of excitement and the longer they rack up positive performances, the more this narrative will grow. For Enzo Maresca, seeing his side compete in the Premier League and across Europe will no doubt be the minimum requirement.
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Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Chelsea Firm Favourites
West Ham: 36/10 (4.6) – 37%
Draw: 51/20 (3.45) - 29%
Chelsea: 7/10 (1.7) – 48%
*Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change
Head-to-Head Record
03/02/2025: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham United
21/09/2024: West Ham 0-3 Chelsea
05/05/2024: Chelsea 5-0 West Ham
20/08/2023: West Ham 3-1 Chelsea
11/02/2023: West Ham 1-1 Chelsea
West Ham Current Form - LWWWL
There have been question marks over the prospects of this West Ham side and not too much clarity would have been forged after their performance against Sunderland last time out. They tend to be rather feeble at times and there is simply not escaping the fact that this season will be huge for Graham Potter.
They will be under pressure from the start of this encounter and will have it all to do when they face their bullish London rivals.
Key Players to Watch
- Jarrod Bowen
The captain has quickly become an attacking talisman for the Hammers, and his consistency has been something to celebrate coming into this season. He is a focal point for their creative abilities and likely play a big role here. - Max Kilman
The stability and composure he brings to their last line is often underestimated. His simple approach and aggressive defensive nuance is a major aspect of their defensive ability and so keeping an eye on him here is recommended. - Aaron Wan-Bissaka
He is the sort of player that you know exactly what you are getting. His attacking outputs are matched by his defensive duties and given his experience in this league, many at West Ham will be hoping he registers another positive performance.
West Ham Team News
West Ham come into this game with a fully fit squad.
Chelsea Current Form – WWWWD
Whether or not the excitement around Chelsea will survive for too much longer remains to be seen, but their performance against Palace was most disappointing. The confidence their FIFA Club World Cup win would have brought might suggest they have a chance at the league this season, but the physicality and intensity of the league should never be underestimated.
Key Players to Watch
- Cole Palmer
He continues to emerge as one of Chelsea’s rising stars. His creativity and attacking nuance are second to none and given that he is always a threat in front of goal, keep an eye on him here. - Moises Caicedo
A powerful midfielder for the Blues, his grit and aggressive play often allows Enzo Maresca’s side to progress smartly up the field and into the opponents final third. He started every game last season and will remain a threat this season. - Joao Pedro
He faced a lot of criticism after the performance against Palace, but he is a good player with an incredible ability. He makes smart runs and leads the Chelsea line with incredible ability.
Chelsea Team News
At the time of writing, Chelsea come into this game with a fully fit squad.
Predicted Line-Ups
West Ham:
Hermansen, Aguerd, Kilman, Todibo, Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez, Diouf, Paqueta, Fullkrug, Bowen.
Chelsea:
Sanchez, James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Gittens, Pedro.
Suggested Bets
Chelsea Win – Chelsea might not have reached their best last time out, but they are likely to respond here – back them to claim the win. (7/10 with Betandyou).
Over 2.5 Goals – Two sides who have to have a go from the start usually translates into a high-scoring affair. Back over 2.5 goals here. (13/20 with Stake)
Both Teams to Score (No) – West Ham hasn’t shown enough to suggest they disrupt the defensive stability of the Blues. (21/20 with 1Win)
Value Bets
A welcome bonus can give new customers extra balance to explore value bets like combination markets, half-time/full-time, or correct score options.
Chelsea to Win + Over 2.5 Goals – Back the combination at generous odds here. (19/10 with Pin Up)
Half-Time/Full-Time (Chelsea/Chelsea) – Chelsea is a side with quality all over the pitch and so we wouldn’t discourage you from backing the Blues on the Half-time/Full-time double. (29/20 with 1Win)
Correct Score (0-2) – Back the visitors to come away with the win, but as a bit of a chance bet, back the correct score at generous odds. (7/1 with 1xBet)
Prediction: Chelsea to Win
While a lot of this prediction depends on whether or not the Blues turn up for this game, their quality is undeniable. They would have been disappointed with the attacking threat they were able to put on display at home to Palace – but again, this is a chance for a response.
There isn’t anywhere on the field the Hammers outdo their visitors and so backing Enzo Maresca’s side is predicted with confidence.
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