West Ham vs Chelsea prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2024-09-20 11:30.
[p]West Ham continue to find themselves in a bit of a Premier League rut, with just one win from their opening four league games (D1, L2) part of a wider run of three victories from 15 top-flight outings (D5, L7). A 1-1 draw at Fulham last weekend was their latest disappointment, but it would have been worse had it not been for a 95th minute equaliser – a result which prompted one English publication to liken West Ham to a “rally car being driven by a pensioner” in reference to Julen Lopetegui’s slow start. [/p]
[p]Having made nine summer signings to the tune of circa £155m, there’s growing pressure on Lopetegui to turn things around against a Chelsea side he has a respectable personal H2H record against (W2, D1, L2). That includes a 1-0 win in the only Premier League H2H whilst he was in charge of Wolves, but a repeat result seems unlikely for a Hammers side without a home clean sheet in the league since January. [/p]
[p]Chelsea’s new manager has made a slightly better start to his tenure, with Enzo Maresca’s side picking up seven points from their opening four league games (W2, D1, L1). It’s a swift return to the road for the Blues, who dispatched Bournemouth 1-0 last weekend to secure a fourth successive top-flight away victory – not since December 2021 have Chelsea won five-straight Premier League road trips. [/p]
[p]Achieving such a feat across the capital may be easier said than done though, with Chelsea winning just one of the last seven away H2Hs (D2, L4). If they’re to improve that record, chances are they’ll have to be amongst the goals here, as Saturday’s clean sheet at Bournemouth was their only shutout across their last 18 away league games.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Despite nearly leaving the club in the summer transfer window, Danny Ings repaid his manager’s faith by netting against Fulham – his sixth successive Premier League goal to arrive after half-time. Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku was also on target after the break last weekend with his third goal this season, all of which opened the scoring. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Chelsea’s last 18 away league games have averaged over four goals per game. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]