There should be plenty of goals on Sunday in Stamford Bridge when Chelsea hosts Fulham in a West London derby. The Cottagers have the worst defense in the Premier League by a frightening margin. Fulham have allowed 33 goals in 13 matches, putting them on pace to surrender nearly 100 goals this season. Meanwhile, Chelsea are tied for having scored the second-most goals this campaign, and the Blues are looking to let out some frustration.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Stamford Bridge in Chelsea at 7 a.m. ET on Saturday, December 2, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on NBCSN.
English Premier League Betting at BookMaker.eu
Fulham +1275
Chelsea -523
Draw +634
Over/Under 3.5
Odds Analysis
Chelsea had been undefeated in the Premier League and were just two points back of Manchester City prior to last week. The Blues were soundly thumped 3-1 by Tottenham Hotspur though, and that has led to second-guessing in Stamford Bridge. The club has the best defensive midfielder in the world in N’Golo Kante, but Maurizio Sarri made the fateful decision to use him in a more attacking role, and that left Chelsea open to the counter. Spurs made them pay, and now the Blues have not won an EPL game in four weeks.
Fulham’s fortunes improved last week with a 3-2 win over Southampton. The Cottagers spent a lot of money improving their attack this offseason, but they didn’t do much with their defense, so this is how they must win matches. They are still last in the table with eight points, however, at least they are now level in points with both Southampton and Cardiff City, and they are just one point back of Crystal Palace and Burnley. There have been an average of 3.6 goals per game in Fulham matches this season, highest of any team in the Premier League.
Key Injuries
Ethan Ampadu suffered a knock in international play, and there has been no update on his status in two weeks. He has been ruled out for this match already, along with long-term injury Marco van Ginkel. Victor Moses is listed as doubtful because of a back injury, while captain Eden Hazard is expected to play through an ankle issue here.
Two players have been ruled out for Fulham. Kevin McDonald will miss the match due to a muscular injury, and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa will be unavailable because of a knock.
Matchup to Watch
Provided Hazard is healthy for this one, Chelsea could run roughshod over Fulham’s back line. The Blues have arguably the most aggressive tactics in the Premier League, and they are constantly looking to find ways to break down their opponents. That’s something that many teams have been able to do against Fulham this season, and Hazard could have a huge game here. He hasn’t had quite the success he did at the start of the year, but he might be the most creative player in English football.
Prop Bet of the Game – Over 4 Goals +142
This has the potential to be the highest scoring match of the season. Fulham have shown an adherence to their swashbuckling style, and Chelsea will be more than happy to turn this into a wide-open game. The one concern I have is if the Cottagers get on the board first, as they would likely park the bus to get a result, but as long as Chelsea scores in the first 30 minutes, I think this will push at worst.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Although Chelsea have a Europa League match against Greek club PAOK on Thursday, the Blues have already won their group and don’t need to worry about getting a result here. They aren’t likely to field a full lineup and should play a number of reserves, leaving the starters fresh to do work.
English Premier League Odds: Chelsea 4, Fulham 1
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