Chelsea at West Ham score predictions: A close contest

Chelsea travels east to take on West Ham on Saturday evening in one of the top four’s most anticipated matches this season. The Blues and Irons are level on points with only goal differential separating the two sides to this point. David Moyes’ side has made a cinderella run during this Premier League season. Unfortunately for West Ham supporters, their side will be without a few star players, most notably Declan Rice. Now that The Super League stuff is behind Thomas Tuchel and his men, can they take a giant step toward securing Champions League football next season?

Here is how The Pride of London staff sees the match playing out:

Mike Malley: 1-2 Chelsea

This is easily the Blues’ biggest Premier League match of the season so far, with a place in the top four hanging precariously in the balance. The Hammers are one of the hottest sides in the EPL right now and, I can’t believe I’m actually writing this, containing Jesse Lingard might be a challenge for the Blues’ back three. Mateo Kovacic is missing again, meaning N’Golo Kante will likely replace him in midfield alongside Jorginho. Those two will have to dominate the center of the pitch and dictate the tempo of the match if the visitors are going to squeak out a close victory.

Tan Yi Hao: 1-2 Chelsea

Chelsea’s record away to West Ham has been abysmal in recent seasons and with The Super-trash League still on the minds of football fans all over England, many would surely be hoping for a West Ham win to further solidify the Hammers’ position in the top four. The pressure on the Blues is immense, but considering how well Tuchel has been able to guide his side through tough fixtures in his short time at the club, they should just about be able to see this one out.

Barrett Rouen: 0-1 Chelsea

I think this is going to be an awful game full of West Ham giving us the full brunt of the post-Super League elitist punishment that I think we’ll see from every uninvolved side the rest of the season. The chase for the top four just became much harder.

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 1-2 Chelsea

The Blues always have problems at the London Stadium, and they weren’t even top four rivals then. Tuchel has made it clear that he trusts his players, and they will play wth more confidence knowing they have the managers backing. Right now top four is in Chelsea’s hands, but the wrong result tomorrow could leave it needing favours from elsewhere.

Kevin Peacock: 2-2 Draw

West Ham’s players won’t need getting one over Super League wananabees Chelsea as motivation to grab the points in this game. They’d always want to do that anyway. The Blues’ first post-Super League fiasco game was a turgid 0-0 draw, this may not prove much better. Tuchel will want a result, if that’s a draw, so be it. Domestically, Chelsea will have to fight all the way for a top four spot, but with a European semifinal on the horizon, it’ll have to focus very hard at the London Stadium. Goals from Mason Mount (obviously) and Kai Havertz.

Anthony Gatt: 2-3 Chelsea

This scoreline has been West Ham’s favorite over the past three games, so let’s make it four. This time, in favor of Chelsea. It may be a long-shot that this Blues side scores three goals, but West Ham’s defense as of late has been leaking goals. If the visitors play the way they did against Crystal Palace, anything is possible. Tomas Soucek and Lingard will cause problems, but Mount and Christian Pulisic will drive this team toward victory.

Olly Smith: 1-1 Draw

Back to reality for the Tuchel masterclass in draws. The offensive juggernaut against Crystal Palace seemed to be the exception rather than the norm, and with how West Ham always raises its game against the Blues, expect this one to be a rather drab affair. With the Champions League semifinal fast approaching, it could be time for the infamous Tuchel rotations. With that, it would be interesting to see if Callum Hudson-Odoi plays given his relative lack of game time (that’s nothing to say of Tammy Abraham’s absence). Perhaps Billy Gilmour, the man Tuchel promised to give game time, might appear from the shadows. Is it even worth predicting a goal from Olivier Giroud? If he gets on the pitch, he’ll score.

Michael DeVito: 0-2 Chelsea

Hopefully Edouard Mendy is back in the net. Kepa Arrizabalaga’s value has been raised, so let’s leave it at that. Time for a breakout game (have been saying that for a while, but it’s on the way) from Timo Werner. He goes for the brace. Once again, Chelsea’s defense clogs the lanes for anyone and everyone not named West Brom. Back on track, I hope.

Abhishek Pancholi: 1-2 Chelsea

A potential banana skin of a tie will be a good test of Chelsea’s newfound defensive solidity. A few scares and an unstoppable goal aside, the Blues will emerge with three points and a firmer grip on a Champions League spot.

Nate Hofmann: 2-1 West Ham

If you’re a West Ham player, you’d be absolutely frothing at the mouth at the prospect of this match. The mixture of a top four spot on the line and the pangs of indignity born from Chelsea’s perceived exceptionalism should be enough to turn this into a powder keg of an affair. A Battle of the Bridge-esque brawl is absolutely in play, and West Ham will have the motivation needed to triumph in that type of match. If Chelsea looks like it did against Brighton, this could be even uglier than a one-goal loss. Hopefully the players will have perked up in the wake of the death of the Super League, but it’s hard to see them matching the energy and emotion the Hammers will likely bring into the match.

Gabe Henderson: 1-3 Chelsea

West Ham is missing a lot in this match and despite the Irons’ fantastic record this season, Tuchel’s boys have been up for it every time their backs are against the wall. The key absences, plus West Ham’s leaky defense, lead to a Blues victory.

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