12 Jun 2019
With Arsenal and Manchester United both suffering defeats in their last outing, the door to a Champions League place as been opened for Chelsea.
Four teams are within three points of each other, with two of the top four places up for grabs and there are just six games remaining for each side.
Tottenham head that group on 64 points and are 2/7 to maintain a top four position, which brings automatic qualification to next season’s Champions League.
Arsenal, who slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday, are a point behind and are 8/11 in that same market, while Chelsea are also on 63 points in fifth place (11/10) and Manchester United are on 61 points (5/2).
Chelsea have the chance to move into third place on Monday evening when facing London rivals West Ham, whose Europa League aspirations have floundered in recent weeks, with three defeats in their last five, losing at Manchester City, Cardiff and at home to their perennial bogey side Everton.
The Hammers have slipped to 11th in the table, five points behind seventh-placed Leicester. Their inferior goal-difference means it is effectively a six-point gap that will have to be closed if they are to entertain hopes of making the Europa League.
Chelsea, who have to play a Europa League quarter-final first-leg clash with Slavia Prague at Stamford Bridge on Thursday before travelling to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, are available at 3/10 to beat West Ham.
The Hammers have lost just one of their last five meetings with the Blues. The Genting Casino Premier League odds for the Hammers to win are 9/1.
Both meetings ended in a draw last season, and the draw is on offer at 9/2.
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea are set to give winger Callum Hudson-Odoi his second Premier League start, after impressing against Brighton. It is bordering on the criminal that Maurizio Sarri has played him so sparingly this season, and the England international is 13/8 to score at any time.
Marco Alonso and Pedro are both injury doubts, but with this game absolutely vital to Chelsea’s hopes of a top four spot, Gonzalo Higuain, Ross Barkley and Willian look set to return after being rested in the 3-0 defeat of Brighton in midweek.
West Ham welcome back top scorer Felipe Anderson, who has been out since mid-March following an ankle problem. The Brazilian winger, who has netted eight goals this season, has been one of the best signings the Hammers have made in many years, but according to reports, West Ham will inexplicably allow the £35m man to leave in the summer if a top six side come in for him.
Ironically, Chelsea could potentially be one of his suitors, as they will need an attacking threat if Eden Hazard, as expected, leaves for Real Madrid. However, they cannot sign a replacement until the summer of 2020 because of a transfer embargo.
Anderson, who has netted eight times in the Premier League this term, is 4/1 to score at any time and 12/1 to score the first goal.
Samir Nasri and Ryan Fredericks have also recovered from injuries.
GOALS ON THE CARDS?
Sarri’s Chelsea are six points better off at this stage of the season than Antonio Conti’s side was last season, but still the Blues fans are discontented. They chanted their frustration despite a late comeback at Cardiff, and a top four spot should be a bare minimum for the squad Sarri has available.
The good news is that West Ham have started to look as though they are already on their holidays. While unbeaten in their last three against Chelsea (W1 D2), they have not won at Stamford Bridge for 17 years and Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 at home (W8 D4) since the Hammers won 3-2 there in September 2002.
Monday night games are always a tonic for Chelsea fans. They have not lost a home Premier League game on a Monday night since December 1994 (W11 D3) since losing 3-2 to Manchester United. Chelsea are 5/6 to be leading at half-time and full-time. Furthermore, no side has conceded fewer goals at home that the Blues (10) this season, and they are 10/11 to keep a clean sheet, and 21/20 to be the only team to score in the match.
In contrast, there is an interesting trend for the visitors. They have remained unbeaten in their last 17 games in which they have scored this season and they are 16/1 to be the only team to score in this game, and are 11/2 to win (draw no bet).
Javier Hernandez Chicharito has been something or a thorn in Chelsea’s side. He has scored in each of his last four Premier League games against the Blues and is 3/1 to net on Monday night, and 9/1 to score the last goal.
In contrast, Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud, who has had a hand in nine Premier League goals against the Hammers in his last 11 appearances (six goals, three assists), is Evens to score at any time.
Although the last three clashes have yielded less than three total goals, the last time four consecutive meetings saw less than three total goals was between November 1998 and March 2000. The previous five clashes all saw three goals or more and given that West Ham have conceded seven total goals in their last three outings, it seems feasible that punters will look at the 8/15 for over 2.5 goals to be scored.
