Chelsea vs West Ham United Best Bet for Monday, Feb. 3, 2025
Chelsea’s past and present collide in Monday night’s highly anticipated Premier League clash, as the Blues welcome former manager Graham Potter and his West Ham United side to Stamford Bridge for a heated London derby.
The Irons were hammered 3-0 at the London Stadium when both clubs met earlier this season.
Chelsea are Clear Favorites Despite Recent Inconsistency
Enzo Maresca’s side came agonizingly close to extending their unbeaten start to 2025 last weekend but ultimately succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City. Noni Madueke briefly put Chelsea ahead following a defensive lapse from Man City’s winter signing Abdukodir Khusanov, yet relentless pressure from Pep Guardiola’s men saw Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden orchestrate a comeback.
Despite showing signs of resurgence with two wins and two draws at the start of the new year, Chelsea’s inconsistency remains a pressing issue. Maresca’s side has won just one of their last seven Premier League matches, struggling to maintain leads despite scoring first in five of their last six league games. Defensive frailties at Stamford Bridge are also a concern, with Chelsea managing just one clean sheet in 11 home league games this season – a 3-0 victory against Aston Villa.
Maresca has confirmed that Chelsea will have the same squad available from last weekend, meaning Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, Omari Kellyman and Mykhaylo Mudryk remain sidelined.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who has made five errors leading to goals this season, faces pressure from Filip Jorgensen but is expected to retain his starting spot.
West Ham Adjusting to Life Under Graham Potter
West Ham, meanwhile, saw two crucial points slip away in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last time out. Jacob Ramsey’s early strike put Villa ahead, but an equalizer from Emerson Palmieri salvaged a point for Graham Potter’s men. The Hammers’ attacking system consistently creates chances, and Tomas Soucek nearly snatched a winner in a carbon-copy move of the equalizer.
While West Ham boasts a seven-match scoring streak away from home in all competitions, their recent encounters with Chelsea have been nothing short of disastrous. The Hammers suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to the Blues in September and were thrashed 5-0 at Stamford Bridge toward the end of the 2023-24 campaign, with Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson scoring a brace in both games.
Potter could, however, become the first ex-Chelsea manager to defeat the Blues at Stamford Bridge in a Premier League match, adding extra motivation to his return.
The West Ham boss has provided an optimistic update on Jarrod Bowen, who has returned to training and is hopeful of featuring in the derby. Lucas Paqueta is also pushing for involvement, though the Brazilian remains doubtful.
However, Jean-Clair Todibo, Crysencio Summerville, Michail Antonio and Niclas Füllkrug are likely to miss out. Meanwhile, Dinos Mavropanos returns from suspension and is expected to slot back into the defense.
Possible Starting Lineups of Chelsea and West Ham United
Chelsea: Robert Sanchez – Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella – Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez – Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto – Nicolas Jackson. (4-2-3-1)
West Ham United: Alphonse Areola – Vladimír Coufal, Max Kilman, Dinos Mavropanos – Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tomas Soucek, Edson Álvarez, Emerson Palmieri – Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus – Jarrod Bowen (3-4-2-1).
Spooky Express Betting Prediction
According to EveryGame’s latest betting odds on Monday morning, Chelsea is the clear favorite at -286, with a draw priced at +475 and a West Ham victory at +625. Despite their defensive issues, Chelsea’s superior squad depth and home advantage should give them the edge. However, West Ham’s attacking quality, particularly with Bowen’s expected return, suggests they could find the net.
Spooky Express Free Play (Best Bet): Outcome And Both To Score – Chelsea and Both Teams to Score – Yes +140 at EveryGame for 5/10 Units
