12 Jun 2019
Chelsea are in a four-way fight with Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United to secure one of the two remaining spots in the Premier League’s top four, which would guarantee Champions League football next season.
Heading into the weekend, they sat fifth, having played a game more than all three rivals, but were just a point behind third-placed Tottenham and level on points with fourth-placed Arsenal. The Blues had an inferior goal difference to both, however. Manchester United were two points behind Chelsea in sixth.
With games against Manchester United (A), FA Cup finalists Watford (H) and Leicester (A) to come, the Genting Casino Premier League football odds for Chelsea to finish in the top four are 13/8. In the same market, Tottenham are 2/7, Arsenal are 1/2 and United are out to 11/4.
Burnley’s 2-0 win over Cardiff last weekend looks to have secured their safety for another season. They are on 39 points, having won their last three games – against Wolves, Bournemouth and Cardiff – to ease clear of the relegation zone.
Sean Dyche’s side still have to face title-chasing Manchester City, Everton and Arsenal before the end of the season, and while nothing is cut and dried, their 150/1 odds to be relegated fairly reflects their survival chances.
Chelsea have an impressive record at Stamford Bridge, having lost just one of their last 20 home Premier League matches. They are 1/4 to beat Burnley, despite suffering a 2-0 loss at Liverpool last weekend.
Maurizio Sarri’s side were easy 4-0 winners in the reverse fixture at Turf Moor in October and Burnley are considered 12/1 chances to beat the Blues on Monday night.
Draws are rare when these two clash. There have been just four stalemates in the last 22 meetings, although two instances of that happening have occurred in the last six meetings.
The draw is available at 5/1 according to Genting Casino’s football odds.
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea bounced back from their defeat at Anfield to beat Slavia Prague 4-3 in the Europa League on Thursday, going through to the semi-finals 5-3 on aggregate and setting up a two-legged clash with Eintracht Frankfurt. Chelsea are 11/8 favourites to win the Europa League, and are 6/4 to win the first leg in Frankfurt on May 2.
But victory on Thursday came at something of a cost, with Eden Hazard limping away at the end of a fascinating tie. Sarri subsequently played down the injury as “nothing serious” and Hazard is 4/5 to score at any time against Burnley.
Antonio Rudiger could be rested after picking up a knee injury against Liverpool and Andreas Christensen looks set to deputise in defence again.
Likewise, Ethan Ampadu and Marcos Alonso, who both missed the midweek clash with Slavia Prague, may well find this game coming a little too quickly and could be given more time to recover.
Gonzalo Higuain (above) has been starved of goals, but will look to get on the scoresheet against Burnley. He is 4/5 to score at any time, but Chelsea may well decline the option of making his loan deal from Juventus permanent at the end of the season.
Callum Husdon-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who were rested on Thursday, are likely to be back in the side on Monday night. They have started the last three Premier League games for the Blues.
Burnley must do without Peter Crouch, who has an abdominal injury and Steven Defour is also missing with a calf problem.
While there is no fixed date for Aaron Lennon to return from an ongoing knee issue, Dyche may be able to call upon Phil Bardsley, who has recovered from a nasty cut on a leg.
Chris Wood, whose brace sunk Cardiff last week, will lead the line again and he is 7/2 to score at any time, with strike partner Ashley Barnes, who has weighed in with 10 goals this term, available at 16/5 to score at any time.
BLUES KEEP PACE WITH RIVALS?
It is hard to determine whether this has been a disappointing season for Chelsea. While many expected the Blues to challenge for the title, they still have a great chance of securing Champions League football next season and are favourites to reach a European final.
The odds suggest they should beat Burnley, who have little to play for, now that they are all but safe.
The Blues have lost only one of their last 20 Premier League matched played on a Monday at Stamford Bridge (W15 D4) – a 2-3 defeat to Manchester United on Boxing Day 1994. Chelsea are 21/10 to win but concede a goal against Burnley.
They have also been almost impregnable at home, despite West Ham giving them a scare and missing a few good chances a couple of weeks ago.
That clash was settled by a brace from Hazard, who has scored nine goals in 17 Monday games for the Blues. He is 16/5 to score two or more against Burnley.
Chelsea have lost just one of their last 20 Premier League games at Stamford Bridge (W12 D7), going down 0-1 to Leicester in December. No side has conceded fewer goals in the league than the Blues, who are 7/10 to keep a clean sheet.
The Clarets have a modest record against the west London side, having won just one of their last nine meetings – a 3-2 success at Stamford Bridge in August 2017 on their last visit. Burnley are 13/5 to either win or draw this clash on the Double Chance market.
They have lost seven of their last 11 trips to Stamford Bridge and have not won back-to-back games at Chelsea’s home ground since December 1961.
Goals are usually on offer when these two meet. Three total goals or more were scored in 15 of the last 20 meetings and it is 4/7 that over 2.5 goals will be scored this time.
Both sides scored in 13 of the last 20 meetings and it is 23/20 that both sides find the net on Monday.
To see all the odds on this clash, click here.
