West Ham vs Chelsea Predictions & Betting Odds
Expect all-out action till the final whistle as cross-town rivals West Ham United and Chelsea FC lock horns later this week at London Stadium, with both teams chasing that elusive first win of the season.
The Blues settled for a scoreless draw at home against Crystal Palace last week, while the Hammers suffered a blowout loss against Sunderland. With both teams looking to get over the hump, this has the makings of an explosive showdown and if you’re looking to join in the action, then here are some of the best bets for this matchup.
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Top betting picks for West Ham vs Chelsea
The best Premier League betting sites have Chelsea as -147 favorites and it comes as no surprise. After all, the Blues have won four of the last six meetings against West Ham across all competitions. Even more impressive is that Chelsea has scored an average of 3.33 goals against West Ham in their past three matchups.
Over 2.5 Goals
Goals have been a common fixture when these two sides met and this matchup could be no different. For context, four of the last five matches between West Ham and Chelsea have had at least three goals. While both teams went scoreless to begin the season, I am expecting West Ham manager Graham Potter and Chelsea head tactician Enzo Maresca to make the necessary adjustments in the final third here.
What makes me confident about the over 2.5 goals is the fact that both clubs have too much attacking talent to stay quiet for long. Chelsea has creative threats like Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro while West Ham rely heavily on the pace and power of Jarrod Bowen and Niclas Fullkrug to cause problems on the counter. Add the defensive lapses of both squads during last week’s action and we could be in for a wide-open contest.
Joao Pedro to score anytime
Brazilian forward Joao Pedro struggled in his Chelsea debut after being clamped down by Crystal Palace centerbacks Chris Richards and Marc Guehi. However, I expect him to bounce back here against a West Ham backline that conceded three goals to Sunderland last week. Pedro thrives when he finds space between the lines. With Cole Palmer dictating the offense, I think the Brazilian striker should have multiple opportunities to get on the scoresheet here.
My only concern for Pedro is his tendency to drift out of games when he doesn’t get early touches, as we witnessed against Sunderland, where he almost looked disinterested to play on the other end after losing possessions. Still, given his movement in the box and ability to finish with either foot, Pedro remains a strong candidate to score here and open his Chelsea account.
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Chelsea to win
As I’ve mentioned above, Chelsea is priced around -147 at some of the best football betting sites and that alone should be a good enough reason to put a unit or two on them. This is not to underestimate West Ham’s quality because on a good day, they can beat the best teams in the league. However, when you look at both clubs, I like to think that the Blues have the technical ability and the talent depth to pull this one off, especially on the attacking end of the floor.
For context, Chelsea controlled much of the possession against Crystal Palace and even more impressive is that they attempted 19 shots with three of them almost hitting the target. Although the finishing touch was missing, the sheer volume of opportunities against Crystal Palace is making me lean towards a Chelsea victory, especially if you take into account that West Ham looked disorganized in some stretches of their match against Sunderland.
Conclusion – Make your picks ahead of West Ham United vs Chelsea
Expect West Ham and Chelsea to play a forward-pressure offense in this match, with both teams seeking for their first win of the new Premier League season. Whether you are backing for over 2.5 goals, a first Chelsea goal for Brazilian striker Joao Pedro, or even an outright victory for the Blues, there is no shortage of exciting betting action for this matchup. So, make sure to click on the banners to sign up at your favorite betting sites, place your bets, and expect a high-scoring affair later this week.
