Chelsea welcome fellow Londoners West Ham to Stamford Bridge today in the Premier League knowing they need to win to keep the pressure on Manchester United and Arsenal. It has developed into a very tight race indeed for the title this season and there are three teams who will all have a good shot at lifting the trophy. The Blues are currently second in the table, two points behind Manchester United with a game in hand.
The hosts are strong favourites for the game at 2/9 (bet £90 to win £20 profit), leaving West Ham as big underdogs, as long as 14/1. The Hammers are in a relegation battle and are now only three points outside the drop zone. Two wins in their last four games have helped but last weekend’s home defeat to Bolton suggests that Gianfranco Zola’s side may be moving in the wrong direction. The draw is priced at 5/1 but Chelsea have won twelve of their fourteen home games this season.
The bookmakers seem to see only one result today and have made a 2-0 win for Chelsea the favourite score for the match at 11/2, with 3-0 and 1-0 both next at 7/1 and a 1-1 draw, which would dent Chelsea’s title hopes badly, is 12/1. A 0-0 draw is available at 16/1 and a shock 10 win for the men from East London can be found as long as 30/1 with Paddy Power.
Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, who has scored twenty-five goals for Chelsea in all competitions this season, is 3/1 favourite to open the scoring today at 3/1 with Coral, with Nicholas Anelka next at 4/1. Following Anelka are Daniel Sturridge and Saloman Kalou, both at 11/2, with Frank Lampard available at the same price with Bet365. Carlton Cole is West Ham’s most likely player to score the first goal and England’s World Cup hopeful is priced at 12/1.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are 3/4 to lead at both half-time and full-time today and are 7/2 to win the match after drawing at half-time. The bookmakers offer 10/1 that both halves end in a draw and West Ham are 33/1 to be winning at both the interval and the final whistle. Draw/West Ham is available at the same price.
Chelsea are favourites to win the Premier League this season at 13/8, despite the excellent recent form of Arsenal and United. West Ham’s ambitions are slightly lower and Zola will be happy merely to avoid relegation, with the Hammers 8/1 with Stan James for the drop.
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