West Ham and Chelsea meet at the London Stadium on Friday August 22, in what promises to be a compelling Premier League clash, with both teams eager to assert their ambitions early in the campaign.
Head-to-head, Chelsea have enjoyed the upper hand in recent encounters, winning 20 of the last 35, West Ham have claimed victory in eight, and seven have ended all square.
Injury news paints a mixed picture for both camps. Chelsea have a lengthening list of key absentees: Romeo Lavia remains sidelined with a muscle complaint, Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill are both out due to long-term injuries, and there are doubts over defensive regulars such as Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah. However, new signing Tosin Adarabioyo could make his debut after recovering from a knock, providing a much-needed boost at the back.
West Ham, while enjoying a comparatively cleaner bill of health, will still be keeping a close eye on their squad’s fitness as recent pre-season games have seen minor knocks.
Betting markets currently favour Chelsea, with win probabilities around 54% for the visitors and 23% for West Ham. Interestingly, the most likely correct score is forecast as a tense 1-1 draw, though Chelsea’s attacking efficiency (+80% in goals scored over West Ham) and defensive solidity (+50% better in goals conceded) could tilt the contest in their favour. Over/under markets set the total at 2.5 goals, with both teams scoring appearing a solid possibility.
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