Chelsea v Luton predictions and free betting tips: Home comforts for Blues

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Luton in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

Where to watch

BBC1, midday Sunday

Best bet

Chelsea to win to nil
1pt 4-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Team news

Chelsea
N'Golo Kante could return after missing the last two games due to a combination of injury and suspension. Frank Lampard may choose to partner him with Billy Gilmour in midfield. Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to start in goal.

Luton
Martin Cranie and Eunan O'Kane remain sidelined with injuries. Tom Lockyer is available after having his red card against Brentford overturned.

Match preview

Things have not been going to plan for Frank Lampard and Chelsea but they have a chance to rediscover their confidence when they face Championship side Luton in the FA Cup fourth round.

The Hatters are dangerous opponents but despite winning just three of their last ten games, the Blues' quality and history suggests they will be the team to reach the fifth round.

Chelsea's performance in their 2-0 defeat at Leicester on Tuesday was poor and Lampard will hope it proves to be their nadir. Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison's first-half goals were enough for the Foxes and the 42-year-old was unable to inspire any improvement after the interval.

There's no doubt the squad is underperforming, with Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, both scorers in the 4-0 third-round win over Morecambe, especially out-of-sorts and speculation has turned to who Lampard's successor might be.

A win in this match would undoubtedly boost Lampard's job prospects but it will not be a pushover against a handy Luton outfit.

Opposite number Nathan Jones has spoken about being "positive in everything we do" and his optimism stands in stark contrast to Lampard's current demeanour.

Sometimes coach and club just click and despite a mixed spell at Stoke, Jones seems to have lost none of his drive since returning to Kenilworth Road last May.

After saving the Hatters from relegation, his side are on course for a steady mid-table finish and they beat Reading 1-0 to reach this stage.

Luton have kept six clean sheets on the road in all competitions, while they have won three of their last five across the board.

However, the Hatters have a poor record against top-level opposition, losing seven of their last eight games against Premier League teams.

Chelsea have been here before and the FA Cup has often proved their salvation. Jose Mourinho's final full season of his first spell in charge ended with Wembley glory in 2007. Five years later, Roberto Di Matteo also lifted the trophy a few weeks before winning the Champions League.

Lampard played in all of those games and having won this competition four times as a player, he may feel he has unfinished business as a coach after losing last year's final to Arsenal.

Chelsea ran out the 2-0 winners the last time the teams met in April 1994 and it might be a similar scoreline this time.

Key stat

Chelsea have won 51 of their last 53 FA Cup ties against lower-division sides.

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