West Ham United
Despite recent good performances, the pressure has been mounting on West Ham United manager David Moyes as the team has been slipping towards the relegation zone. Results, not just good performances, were a necessity for Moyes to ease the pressure. Fortunately, the squad has been able to provide some positive results in the last month.
Their draw at St James’ Park last weekend has elevated West Ham to 17th place in the Premier League and just a point above the relegation zone. While the pressure may not be completely lifted off Moyes, the team’s recent trend is moving in a positive direction and they aim to improve their 4-1-5 record at the London Stadium in the Premier League.
In their last five games across all competitions, West Ham United have suffered just one loss, winning three times. This includes earning four points from their recent Premier League fixtures. While the team has an exciting FA Cup Fifth Round match against Old Trafford ahead, ending their three-game losing streak at the London Stadium in the Premier League was crucial, and they achieved this with a 2-0 victory over Everton in their last home fixture.
Unfortunately, Kurt Zouma and Maxwel Cornet are unlikely to return to action before the end of the month and are expected to miss this weekend’s game. Thilo Kehrer and Gianluca Scamacca are also questionable for the match.
West Ham United Last 5 Results
04/02/23. 18:30 Newcastle United – West Ham United 1 : 1 (1 : 1) (0 : 0) Premier League
30/01/23. 20:45 Derby County – West Ham United 0 : 2 (0 : 1) (0 : 1) FA Cup
21/01/23. 16:00 West Ham United – Everton 2 : 0 (2 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
14/01/23. 16:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers – West Ham United 1 : 0 (0 : 0) (1 : 0) Premier League
07/01/23. 18:30 Brentford – West Ham United 0 : 1 (0 : 0) (0 : 1) FA Cup
Chelsea
It’s likely that Todd Boehly and the Chelsea board will stick with manager Graham Potter for the remainder of the season, however, that doesn’t guarantee that Potter’s recent performance will continue to go unchallenged. This season has been underwhelming for Chelsea, with their top-four aspirations fading, and an early exit from the Last 16 of the Champions League will only add to the pressure on Potter and his staff.
Chelsea has struggled with consistency in their first season under new ownership, currently sitting in 9th place in the Premier League table, 10 points away from the top four. Their away record of 3-3-5 and a meagre nine goals scored in those matches is simply not good enough.
Chelsea started off after the World Cup break with a victory against Bournemouth, but since then, they’ve only won one of their next seven games in all competitions and have been eliminated from the FA Cup. Consecutive goalless draws against Liverpool and Fulham have been a disappointment, and Chelsea is hoping to end their seven-game winless streak away from home this weekend. The team’s scoring struggles are evident, having only scored three goals in those seven away fixtures.
Joao Felix is available again after serving a suspension and could play a crucial role in improving Chelsea’s goal-scoring performance. Denis Zakaria and Mateo Kovacic are close to returning, but Wesley Fofana may have to wait a bit longer. Although there are several players still missing, Chelsea did welcome back Reece James and Ben Chilwell in their last outing.
Chelsea Last 5 Results
03/02/23. 21:00 Chelsea – Fulham 0 : 0 (0 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
21/01/23. 13:30 Liverpool – Chelsea 0 : 0 (0 : 0) (0 : 0) Premier League
15/01/23. 15:00 Chelsea – Crystal Palace 1 : 0 (0 : 0) (1 : 0) Premier League
12/01/23. 21:00 Fulham – Chelsea 2 : 1 (1 : 0) (1 : 1) Premier League
08/01/23. 17:30 Manchester City – Chelsea 4 : 0 (3 : 0) (1 : 0) FA Cup
Head to Head
Chelsea fought back to secure a 2-1 win over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge, but the game ended with several controversies.
West Ham United is seeking retribution and has only lost one of their last five home games against their London adversary. In those five matches at the London Stadium, the Hammers have won three, including a 3-2 win last season.
Premier League
03/09/22, 16:00 Chelsea – West Ham United 2 : 1 (0 : 0) (2 : 1)
24/04/22, 15:00 Chelsea – West Ham United 1 : 0 (0 : 0) (1 : 0)
04/12/21, 13:30 West Ham United – Chelsea 3 : 2 (1 : 2) (2 : 0)
24/04/21, 18:30 West Ham United – Chelsea 0 : 1 (0 : 1) (0 : 0)
21/12/20, 21:00 Chelsea – West Ham United 3 : 0 (1 : 0) (2 : 0)
TWV Sport Team Thoughts
The first match of the Premier League weekend takes place in East London between two clubs with a heated history.
West Ham United and Chelsea’s meeting should create an electric atmosphere.
It’s a bit surprising that Chelsea’s odds are set as the favourites for this away game, given their current 9th place standing in the league and ongoing goal-scoring issues. One would expect odds like this if they were contending for the Premier League title, not for a team struggling in the mid-table.
The comeback of Joao Felix is a boost for Chelsea, however, the reality remains that the team has only scored three goals in seven away games across all competitions. Similar to Potter’s Brighton squad, Chelsea generate opportunities, but they seem to lack a player with the necessary finesse to convert them in the decisive moments.
Joao Felix’s arrival was intended to fill that role and boost Chelsea’s attacking presence, but even with his return, the team appears to be underpowered.
The defence has made progress with three consecutive shutouts, however, opponents are still managing to generate chances.
And now, they are facing a West Ham United side that has some positive energy backing them following their progression to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup and their hard-fought wins over Everton and draws with Newcastle United in their recent Premier League games.
David Moyes’ squad suffered a defeat earlier in the season at Stamford Bridge, but they have seemed to have turned a new leaf by playing better than the results have reflected lately. Moreover, the Hammers have a recent history of home victories against Chelsea and we believe they are underrated in this match.
The first goal is expected to be crucial, but West Ham United have demonstrated self-assurance in their play in the last few weeks.
Match Result Prediction
West Ham to win.
Score Prediction
West Ham United 1 – 0 Chelsea
