Chelsea v West Ham predictions: Blues can edge high-scoring clash

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Chelsea to win & over 2.5 goals
1pt 13-10 bet365

Team news

Chelsea
Antonio Rudiger and Mateo Kovacic are out. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ben Chilwell remain sidelined.

West Ham
Central defenders Issa Diop and Kurt Zouma have joined Angelo Ogbonna on the treatment table.

Match preview

There were plenty of goals at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night, just not all at the right end as far as Chelsea fans are concerned, and there could be more of the same when West Ham visit the Blues.

The difference compared to Wednesday, is that this time Chelsea can come out on top.

They are short enough to be swerved in 90-minute betting but ought to still be fancying their chances against a Hammers side with more than one eye on Thursday's Europa League semi-final showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt.

But a greater impediment to David Moyes might be a lack of central defenders with Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma and now Issa Diop all on the sidelines.

Moyes's options aren't great. He could play Craig Dawson in the middle of a back five with, effectively, four full-backs for company, or stick with the four and pull Declan Rice out of midfield – he was regularly deployed in a back three by Moyes during his breakthrough 2017-18 season.

None of the options is ideal for West Ham's boss, and he faces a thankless headache just a few days before their tussle with Frankfurt which, no matter what he says about the possibility of bridging a five-point gulf to fourth place in the league, has to now be his priority.

Chelsea's target is far more straightforward – improve on Wednesday when they lost 4-2 at home to Arsenal courtesy of a surprisingly flimsy defensive effort.

Finding the net isn't too much of an issue for Thomas Tuchel's men – they have not failed to score at Stamford Bridge since September and carved out enough chances against the Gunners.

Presumably Romelu Lukaku will make way for Kai Havertz to take centre stage between Mason Mount and maybe Timo Werner. And all three should fancy their chances of making hay confronted by a mix-and-match West Ham rearguard.

The defeat by Arsenal was Chelsea's third home loss in a row, a trio of games in which they have shipped 11 times.

Equally, they haven't failed to score since the League Cup final and have scored at least twice in nine of their last 12 including, of course, six at Southampton, proof that when they are in the mood they can still be irresistible. West Ham will be tougher than Saints, however, that's pretty much a given.

When these two met at the London Stadium in December West Ham came from behind twice to win 3-2, merely adding weight to the sense that this could be quite a decent, open and goal-drenched encounter.

Key stat

Chelsea have scored in each of their last 20 home games.

Inside info

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho/Mount
Free-kick wizard Mount/Alonso
Set-piece aerial threat Andreas Christensen
Card magnet Marcos Alonso

West Ham

Penalty taker Lanzini/Noble
Free-kick wizard Rice/Cresswell/Lanzini
Set-piece aerial threat Tomas Soucek
Card magnet Declan Rice

Not got a bet365 account? Bet £10 & get £50 in free bets

Open account offer. Minimum deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as bet credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Minimum odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude bet credits stake. Time limits/T&Cs apply. 18+ begambleaware.org

CLAIM OFFER HERE

MORE FREE BETS

Sign up to emails from Racing Post Sport and get all the latest news and tips

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport