Prediction: Chelsea vs Swansea



Verdict: Under 2.5 goals

Best Odds: 27/20

Bookmaker: bet365

Following the unexpected slip up at Burnley, Chelsea will attempt to return straight to winning ways against in-form Swansea, but the Blues will have to be at their best if they want to claim maximum points. The Welsh side seriously eased the relegation fears with three wins in last four, and for the first time in quite a while, they head into a Premier League fixture without a great deal of pressure.

Chelsea

With just 13 games to go, it is fair to say that the Premier League trophy is Chelsea’s to lose as the Blues hold an eight-point advantage over their closest title rivals. The Blues have witnessed a minor slump in form of late, winning just one of their last three league fixtures, but with 19 wins in 25 games, they can be quite happy with how the current campaign is panning out. Antonio Conte’s side have shown incredible consistence from the very start to the season, while their excellent performances at Stamford Bridge (W11 L1) certainly played a part. Chelsea players responded well to 1-1 draws with Liverpool and Burnley, going on to win the fixtures against Arsenal and Wolverhampton, and we definitely expect them to see off Swansea as well. However, the Blues need to be wary of Paul Clement’s side, who recently defeated Liverpool on the road and gave Manchester City a run for their money. Chelsea have now won 11 consecutive fixtures at home, keeping a clean sheet in seven of those games, meaning that a home win to nil market should be considered here.

Team News

First choice keeper Thibaut Courtois looks set to miss out through illness, with Asmir Begovic expected to deputise against Swansea.



Swansea

Four successive defeats at the end of 2016 seriously damaged Swansea City’s survival hopes and it looked as though the Liberty Stadium outfit were destined for the drop. After interim manager Alan Curtis led the Swans to an important win over relegation rivals Crystal Palace in the first match of the new year, it was Paul Clement’s turn to prove his worth. The new manager did lose his first two games in charge, but then masterminded an amazing turnaround in fortunes that saw Swansea defeat Liverpool, Southampton and Leicester City, while coming really close to bringing one point from Etihad Stadium. The run of three victories in four matches helped the team create a four-point advantage over the bottom three and while they cannot afford to relax just yet, the Swans head into the business end of the season in much better spirits than few weeks ago. Swansea have seriously improved their performances on the road, recording back to back wins over Crystal Palace and Liverpool before they were denied a point by a very late goal against Manchester City.

Team News

Nathan Dyer and Ki Sung-Yeung should be fit to play after recovering from injury, but Jefferson Montero remains long-term casualty.

Key Factors to Consider

• Chelsea are winless in last three meetings with Swansea (D2 L1)
• The Blues did win three of last four home games vs Swans (D1)
• Chelsea have won 11 straight matches at home, keeping 7 clean sheets
• Swansea won two of last three away matches in EPL
• Centre-back Alfie Mawson scored three goals in last six appearances

Conclusion

Chelsea are not exactly on top of their game at the moment, and they will not have an easy job against revived Swansea. The visitors will be defending for their lives at Stamford Bridge as even one point could go a long way, so we expect to witness a low-scoring affair.

Verdict: Under 2.5 goals

Best Odds: 27/20

Bookmaker: bet365