West Ham v Chelsea predictions: Fired-up Hammers could dent Chelsea confidence

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

Where to watch

Sky Sports Main Event & Premier League, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bet

West Ham or draw double chance
2pts 20-21 Betfred, BoyleSports

Team news

West Ham
Craig Dawson is suspended after his red card at Newcastle. Declan Rice and Michail Antonio remain sidelined and Aaron Cresswell faces a fitness test.

Chelsea
Midfielder Mateo Kovacic is still out for the Blues.

Match preview

After a few days of uncertainty the race for the top four is once again a meaningful heat and West Ham are worth backing to dent Chelsea's confidence before Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg away to Real Madrid.

It has been a frantic few days for Chelsea, who qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League, were the first club to reach this season's FA Cup final, and the first to make public their decision to pull out of the European Super League.

Tuesday's goalless draw with Brighton was far less memorable than the fans' protests outside Stamford Bridge before the game and Thomas Tuchel admitted that his players and staff were unsettled by the off-field drama.

Chelsea cannot afford any more distractions going into Saturday's Premier League trip to West Ham.

The west London-east London rivalry is always feisty and this week's announcement, and subsequent collapse, of the ESL has added an extra pinch of spice to the fixture.

West Ham fans must have been fretting that their club's unexpected challenge for the top four would be rendered null and void, but the battle is back on and the Hammers go into it showing plenty of promise.

David Moyes's men lost 3-2 at Newcastle last weekend but they showed plenty of spirit and quality in the second half, coming from 2-0 down to make it 2-2 despite Craig Dawson's 36th-minute red card.

Before that setback, the Hammers had beaten Leicester and Wolves 3-2 and thrown away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 at home to Arsenal.

Despite that blip against the Gunners, their recent record at the London Stadium is excellent with six wins in their last eight league games, including victories over Tottenham and Leeds.

Jesse Lingard's arrival on loan from Manchester United has undoubtedly improved West Ham as an attacking force and since an opening-day 2-0 defeat to Newcastle they are averaging almost two goals per game at home.

Maintaining that scoring rate against a Chelsea side who have given little away under Tuchel will be tough but at the prices a lay of the Blues looks an appealing bet.

Chelsea have won only three of their last eight league matches, a run that includes draws at Southampton and Leeds and a shock 5-2 home defeat to West Brom.

There should be no inferiority complex from the Hammers given that both clubs have earned 55 points from 32 games this term and recent meetings between the clubs have been competitive.

Chelsea were flattered by their 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge in December, when Tammy Abraham scored two late goals, and West Ham did the league double over the Blues last season – a campaign in which they finished 16th.

Indeed, Chelsea have won only two of their last seven clashes with the Hammers and they are worth opposing after an exhausting week on and off the field.

Key stat

West Ham have scored 29 goals in their last 15 home Premier League games.

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