Chelsea
The January transfer window is often considered a challenge for clubs, particularly when seeking long-term investments. However, Chelsea’s new owners have disregarded this notion, having invested heavily in the last two windows since acquiring the club. This puts substantial pressure on manager Graham Potter.
Potter has been granted a two-week break between Premier League matches, allowing him to focus on team training. Despite the transfer activities happening behind the scenes prior to the deadline, he has the opportunity to work with his players. Currently, Chelsea is positioned 10th in the Premier League and has a 10-point deficit to overcome to reach the Champions League spots. Sadly, the team has already been eliminated from both the League Cup and FA Cup.
Chelsea experienced a three-game losing streak across all competitions, but ended January on a positive note with a victory against Crystal Palace at home followed by a draw at Liverpool. In their recent eight home games across all competitions, the team has won five and suffered two losses, both against the current top two teams in the Premier League.
Reece James, Ben Chilwell, and Wesley Fofana may return to play this weekend. However, Denis Zakaria, N’Golo Kante, and Raheem Sterling are still out. Some new additions could see playing time, but one January signing, Joao Felix, is unavailable due to suspension after receiving a red card in his debut.
Fulham
Regardless, Fulham supporters are aware that this has been a successful first half of the season, and recent setbacks haven’t diminished their excitement or admiration for Marco Silva and the team’s efforts. A FA Cup Fourth Round Replay presents Fulham with a chance to progress to the Quarter-Final, given the favorable draw. The fans are eager to see their team achieve a double victory over their West London rival when they travel to Stamford Bridge.
Fulham is currently ranked 7th in the Premier League table, following a close home loss to Tottenham Hotspur a few weeks ago. Despite this, the team is content with their 31 points and continues to aim for a return to European football. Their record on the road in the Premier League is 4 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses, with 14 goals scored and conceded away from Craven Cottage.
Fulham defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Craven Cottage in January. However, they have struggled recently, failing to win in their last three games across all competitions, scoring only one goal during that period. The team suffered consecutive 1-0 losses in the Premier League to Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, but bounced back with a 1-1 draw against Sunderland in the FA Cup at home. In their recent seven away Premier League games, they have won four and lost three.
Head to Head
Fulham defeated Chelsea 2-1 in a match held at Craven Cottage last month. However, Chelsea holds a three-game winning streak against Fulham at home, with all three games ending in a 2-0 victory for Chelsea.
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
Graham Potter is responsible for coordinating the team, but he has faced challenges at Chelsea. Implementing his strategies may take some time, but he must be concerned about the lengthy injury list that has caused the absence of crucial players in his desired system.
The two-week break between Premier League games could have allowed some injured players, such as Reece James and Ben Chilwell, to recover in time for this match. However, the challenge for the 10th-place team is finding a reliable method for scoring goals that will boost their position in the League.
Chelsea faces a tough challenge against a higher-ranked West London rival in the Premier League. Although Fulham won 2-1 against Chelsea at Craven Cottage last month, Chelsea was the stronger team until Joao Felix was red-carded.
Since the win over Chelsea, Marco Silva’s team has lost some of its momentum, but it is still exceeding expectations and aims to take the initiative. However, scoring only one goal in three games across all competitions is not a confidence-booster, and Fulham still has some defensive challenges, which is not unexpected for a club that was promoted last season.
Fulham’s away record in the Premier League is inconsistent, with 3 wins in 7 games, but also 4 losses in that same run. However, Chelsea have a strong record at home, winning 5 of their last 8 games. Despite Chelsea’s struggles to score goals, they have the potential to secure a win if they can replicate their scoring performance from their previous match against Fulham. The home team should aim to score at least two goals to secure a win.
Match Prediction
Chelsea to win.
Score Prediction
Chelsea 3 – 0 Fulham
