Chelsea v Fulham predictions: Stubborn Blues likely to edge Bridge battle

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea to win & under 3.5 goals
1pt 21-20 Betfred, BoyleSports

Team news

Chelsea
Mateo Kovacic is fighting to recover from injury and is Chelsea's only concern.

Fulham
Tom Cairney, Terence Kongolo and Marek Rodak are all sidelined. Kenny Tete could return.

Match preview

The West London rivalry between Chelsea and Fulham is far from the fiercest in the Premier League, but the stakes will be high when the sides clash at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

While the Blues are looking to consolidate a top-four berth, the Cottagers will know defeat will all but eradicate their slim hopes of avoiding relegation.

They are already a best-priced 1-14 to go down this term and their run of form suggests they deserve to be playing Championship football next season.

Scott Parker's men have lost five of their last seven assignments in the Premier League and even their 1-1 draw with Arsenal last time out was unimpressive.

Pundits were quick to label the Cottagers as unlucky after they conceded a 97th-minute equaliser by Eddie Nketiah but it was not a game they deserved to win - they lost the shot count 18-3 and saw only 30 per cent of the ball.

Aleksandar Mitrovic looked sharp during the March international break but he has been unable to translate that to his domestic performances and Fulham have lacked a goalscorer all season.

That does not bode well for them as they prepare to face a Chelsea team who have kept 13 clean sheets under Thomas Tuchel's stewardship.

Even fixture congestion, which saw them play four games in ten days, has not halted their strong defensive performances - they conceded only one goal in their matches with Manchester City, Brighton, West Ham and Real Madrid.

The draw in Madrid puts Chelsea in a great position going into the second leg of the semi-final tie and they also have an FA Cup final with Leicester to look forward to at the end of the season.

But Tuchel will recognise the importance of ensuring the Blues stay in the top four and, with Mateo Kovacic the only potential absentee, he should once again be able to rotate his side effectively.

The Blues can be backed at 1-2 to win but given that their successes in the second half of the campaign have typically been low-scoring, a bet on Chelsea to win and under 3.5 goals looks the best punting approach.

Of the team's 22 matches under Tuchel, 20 of them have featured three or fewer goals and there is little reason to believe this match will be any different.

Fulham have been in the division's lower echelons for most of the season so have not lacked the incentive to play on the front foot and yet they have still managed to score only 25 goals in 33 matches.

Poor finishing and decision-making has cost them and it could be curtains for Parker's side this weekend.

Key stat

Fulham have won only one of their 29 Premier League meetings with rivals Chelsea.

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