Chelsea vs. Burnley predictions: Taking advantage of a wonderful weekend

Chelsea welcome streak-prone Burnley to Stamford Bridge. Burnley have won three straight, so they are due for a reversal courtesy of the Blues.

The weekend’s results could not have gone any more in Chelsea’s favour, so now it’s all up to the Blues to cap the matchweek off with three points of their own. Dropping anything at home will have major implications on the top-four race, but we predict the Blues will take full honours.

Vishnu Raj: Chelsea 3 – 0 Burnley. I usually try not to predict any results because it’s been that kind of a season. But since the Blues have Manchester United away next week, I am sure they are going to perform really well. The win will be so comfortable, in fact, that many fans will be talking up Sarriball and how things are falling into place and how Chelsea fully derail Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Manchester United’s quest for top-four… only to lose without scoring like all other away matches against top teams.

Scott Brant: 2 – 1. After the match Chelsea will have played one more match than Arsenal, which means they must handle business and get three points. Arsenal losing to Crystal Palace was a tremendous help to the Blues, but winning the Europa League is still shaky with Eintracht Frankfurt ahead. I am not really sure who will step up and take over the match. Pedro’s last outing was spectacular, but I am not sure if he can maintain that form. Eden Hazard will score from a penalty and Andreas Christensen goal from a corner, if he plays.

Kevin Peacock: 2 – 1. It’s almost inevitable  Burnley will have the games of their lives at the Bridge. However, it won’t be enough to prevent Chelsea from getting a convincing 2-1 win… not!

After a good first half when Big Hig gets a rare goal and Jorginho silences the boo boys for at least 30 seconds with the other, Chelsea concede early in the second half. They are left hanging on for the final 25 minutes as Burnley push hard for the equaliser. It’s only through Kepa Arrizabalaga’s magnificence that Chelsea get the crucial three points, keeping the pressure on those around them.

Barrett Rouen: 2 – 1. Do Chelsea ever look convincing? This will be a bad match that the Blues barely win. Just f***ing great.

Gabe Henderson: 3 – 0. Chelsea will surprisingly look competent and, to take it a step further, convincing. With the stakes now as high as ever this season, the Blues will rise to the occasion and move one step closer to a top-four finish. Sarri will pick the youth-filled side he should have all season long, they’ll look inspired and grind out a win. Ruben Loftus-Cheek will play his best match this season.

Abhishek Pancholi: 1 – 2. Sean Dyche’s merry men will arrive at Stamford Bridge in a bus and they’ll proceed to park said bus in front of their goal. This will frustrate Chelsea, whose tippy-tappy passing around the box will fail to hypnotize the Burnley defence and draw them out of their own box.

Frustrated by his  potential assists being wasted, Jorginho will tackle the referee from behind, shouting “THIS IS SARRIBALL” and get himself sent off. Maurizio Sarri will lose his sh*t and unload on N’Golo Kante for failing to put Jorginho’s mind at ease.

With just nine men and Gonzalo Higuain on the pitch for the remaining 60 minutes, things will get uglier than Big Hig’s hairline. David Luiz will celebrate his birthday by scoring an own goal and shouting at Andreas Christensen for being born after him. Taking advantage of this palpable discord in the Chelsea defence, Burnley will walk the ball into the Chelsea net once more.

At this point, Sarri will send on Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi to save the day. Loftus-Cheek will score a screamer within 10 minutes of coming on, which will make Sarri angrier as there were just two passes between kickoff and the goal being scored. Hudson-Odoi will force the Burnley ‘keeper into some fine saves, but that won’t be enough to rescue a point. This will further convince Sarri that he was right about Hudson-Odoi and Chelsea should have sold the little brat to Bayern Munich in the winter.

At the end of the game, Sarri will put on an AS Roma cap and parade himself around the ground, waving at fans with one hand while showing them the middle finger with the other. Meanwhile, his cultists on Twitter will shout obscenities at everyone at Chelsea, from the useless players who let Marlboro Maurizio down, to the tea-lady who put one teaspoon of sugar in Jorginho’s tea when he specifically asked for two.

Nate Hofmann: 2 – 0. If Chelsea manage to secure a top four spot by the end of the season, we’ll likely look back at this weekend as the denouement of the 2018/19 campaign. With Everton and Crystal Palace giving the business to Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, Chelsea have a chance to (just about) put their fate in their own hands if they can overcome a Burnley team that are halfway to the beach already.

Given there’s no midweek match to contend with, Sarri should be willing and able to field whoever he wants, which should be more than enough to overpower a Burnley side that has lacked its typical Dychian fortitude. Hazard should have a field day, and a lower-pressure match will be good for some of the misfiring players (read: Gonzalo Higuain). Onward and upward.

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 4 – 1. Chelsea may be without Eden Hazard, but this is one of the few times when someone else steps up. A comfortable win here, but no cleansheet.