Chelsea vs West Ham Match Preview and Prediction

•Chelsea have seen over 3.5 goals in eight of their last nine league games

•West Ham have scored twice or more in their last four league games on the road

•Chelsea have scored twice or more in 10 of their last 11 home league games

Conference League showdown

After their 2-0 victory over Tottenham on Thursday, Chelsea have moved into eighth in the Premier League table and they are just two points shy of seventh place.

Joining them in the European chase are West Ham, who are ninth and facing a make-or-break game as they attempt to return to the Conference League after winning the competition last season.

However, the visitors have gone five without a victory as rumours swirl about David Moyes’ potential replacement. With the momentum seemingly with the Blues, can they find some sort of consistency at long last?

Blues booming at the Bridge

While the criticism of Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino has continued all season, they have put together an impressive run at Stamford Bridge heading into this game. The Blues have won eight of their last 10 at home in the Premier League, while only four teams have picked up more points across their last eight league games.

The Blues have scored at least twice in 10 of their last 11 at home and they average 2.18 goals per game at the Bridge. They’ve been driven forward by Cole Palmer, who has impressed despite not scoring in each of his last three games.

The midfielder has posted 1.78 expected goals combined across his last two league appearances and Palmer has scored in six of Chelsea’s last seven at home in the league. He’s scored hat-tricks in two of their last three at the Bridge, notching an incredible nine goals in four games. Back him to trouble West Ham in this clash.

Defensive issues for both sides

While Chelsea are impressing going forward, they have been struggling defensively in recent weeks. The Blues have seen over 3.5 goals in 12 of their last 15 league outings, while at least four goals have been scored in eight of their last nine.

West Ham have defensive issues of their own, with the Hammers conceding the fourth-highest number of goals in the league this term. They’ve lost 5-2 and 4-3 across their last three away trips in the league, while Moyes has seen his side suffer defeats in four of their last five on the road in all competitions.