West Ham v Chelsea predictions, betting odds and bet builder tips

Where to watch West Ham v Chelsea

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 4.30pm Sunday

Best bet

West Ham to score the first goal
2pts 7-5 bet365

West Ham v Chelsea odds

West Ham 13-5
Chelsea 11-10
Draw 5-2

Odds correct at time of publishing

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West Ham v Chelsea team news

West Ham
The Hammers have no reported injury problems. James Ward-Prowse should make his first start and fellow new boy Edson Alvarez is also available. Lucas Paqueta's proposed transfer to Manchester City is on hold due to an FA and Fifa investigation into potential betting breaches.

Chelsea
New signings Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia are available but Reece James has joined Christopher Nkunku, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Armando Broja, Trevoh Chalobah and Marcus Bettinelli on the sidelines.

West Ham v Chelsea predictions

Chelsea have overpowered their rivals in the transfer market, bolstering their midfield with this week's signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, and the Blues are targeting a first Premier League win under Mauricio Pochettino at West Ham.

With 21-year-old Caicedo, signed from Brighton for a British record transfer fee of around £115m, and 19-year-old Lavia joining 22-year-old World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez at Stamford Bridge, the long-term future certainly looks bright for Chelsea.

However, the immediate objective for Pochettino is to hit the ground running at a club who finished a lowly 12th last season, 45 points behind champions Manchester City and 27 points adrift of the top four.

Last weekend's 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool was a promising start to the new era as Chelsea had almost 65 per cent possession and racked up four shots on target to the Reds' one.

However, they were fortunate to get away with a slow start during which Mohamed Salah hit the crossbar and had a goal chalked off by VAR for offside either side of Luis Diaz's 18th-minute opener for the visitors.

That sluggish opening was a throwback to the end of last season when Chelsea fell behind in the 13th, 12th, sixth and ninth minutes of their final four league fixtures against Nottingham Forest, a second-string Manchester City side, Manchester United and Newcastle.

They were also 3-0 down inside 34 minutes at Arsenal on May 2 and, in a tricky betting heat, West Ham are worth backing to score the first goal.

Chelsea have been hampered by a pre-season injury to France forward Christopher Nkunku and new captain Reece James is sidelined due to a hamstring problem.

West Ham boss David Moyes is also struggling to finalise his plans after the sale of Declan Rice. James Ward-Prowse, whose set-piece prowess would improve any top-flight team, is set for a debut but fellow new boy Edson Alvarez is short of match fitness.

Star asset Lucas Paqueta, heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, is under investigation by the FA and Fifa over potential betting breaches. The Brazil international was at the heart of things for the Hammers in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, hitting the post late on, and his situation is a major concern for the club.

Europa Conference League final hero Jarrod Bowen opened the scoring on the south coast and West Ham, who notched 17 times in their last ten league games of 2022-23, could strike the first blow again.

Key stat

Chelsea have conceded the first goal in seven of their last eight Premier League matches

Probable teams

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma; Antonio
Subs: Cornet, Ings, Fornals, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Johnson, Alvarez

Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Sanchez; Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Gusto, Caicedo, Fernandez, Chilwell; Chukwuemeka, Sterling; Jackson
Subs: Gallagher, Mudryk, Maatsen, Ugochukwu, Lavia, Cucurella, Madueke

Inside info

West Ham

Star man Lucas Paqueta
Top scorer Jarrod Bowen
Penalty taker Said Benrahma
Card magnet Vladimir Coufal
Assist ace Lucas Paqueta
Set-piece aerial threat Nayef Aguerd

Chelsea

Star man Enzo Fernandez
Top scorer Raheem Sterling
Penalty taker Enzo Fernandez
Card magnet Moises Caicedo
Assist ace Ben Chilwell
Set-piece aerial threat Axel Disasi

West Ham v Chelsea bet builder predictions

Both teams to score
Last season's meetings finished 1-1 and 2-1 to Chelsea and four of West Ham's last five home league games had goals at both ends

Ben Chilwell to have a shot on target
The attack-minded wing-back, who had a shot on target and a goal disallowed for offside against Liverpool, scored in last term's home win over West Ham

Over 3.5 cards
There were six yellow cards in the Chelsea's draw with Liverpool last week while West Ham had four players booked at Bournemouth

Pays out at 6-1 with Hills

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