Match preview for Fulham v Chelsea
Chelsea face an enormous west London derby on Sunday as they purpose to finish a disappointing week on a excessive and enhance their hopes of Champions League qualification with a win at neighbours Fulham.
Although the Blues progressed to the semi-finals of the Europa Convention League, a contest they’re broadly anticipated to win, a 2-1 loss at house to Legia Warsaw within the second leg led to Enzo Maresca’s staff being booed off by the Stamford Bridge crowd.
Extra regarding for Chelsea is their place within the hotly contested race for Champions League soccer.
Chelsea are sixth and are solely some extent behind fifth-placed Manchester Metropolis, with the highest 5 within the Premier League qualifying for subsequent season’s Champions League.
Nonetheless, Maresca’s males have let factors slip in every of their final two league video games, following up a 0-0 draw at Brentford with a 2-2 draw at house with third-bottom Ipswich City, with Chelsea pressured to come back from 2-0 down to say a share of the spoils.
Their performances in these video games are extraordinarily worrying given Chelsea now face a troublesome run-in throughout the ultimate six video games, which begins with a testing journey to Craven Cottage.
Fulham are in a European hunt of their very own as they search a highest Premier League end of their historical past.
Marco Silva’s males are solely six factors behind Chelsea and may nonetheless afford to harbour a minimum of slim hopes of qualifying for the Champions League themselves.
Consistency has been a problem for Fulham, having adopted up a surprising win over champions-elect Liverpool with defeat at Bournemouth.
However, with house victories over Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham together with the defeat of Liverpool and 1-1 draw with Arsenal at Craven Cottage on their file this season, Fulham can have no worry about internet hosting Chelsea in arguably essentially the most important west London derby of the Premier League period.
Group information for Fulham v Chelsea
Fulham may welcome again winger Harry Wilson from a foot harm that has stored him out since January.
Chelsea can name on Romeo Lavia following his restoration from a muscle harm, whereas the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill may return after being rested towards Legia.
Anticipated line-ups for Fulham v Chelsea
Fulham: Leno; Castagne, Bassey, Anderson, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Sessegnon, Pereira, Iwobi; Muniz
Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson
The stats
Fulham are aiming to do a league double over Chelsea for the primary time.Chelsea have gained 5 of their final six away video games towards Fulham.The Blues have gained solely 5 of their 16 Premier League matches since December 22.
Learn how to watch Fulham v Chelsea
The sport won’t be broadcast on UK TV.
Prediction
Chelsea will most likely finish the season with a trophy, however their Champions League hopes are wanting more and more fragile, and they’re ripe for a European hangover towards a harmful Fulham staff.
Prediction: Fulham 2-1 Chelsea
