Chelsea vs West Ham Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News
By Tom Gott
We'll have a London derby on our hands on Monday when West Ham United make the short trip across the capital to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard's Blues are under the microscope again after two consecutive defeats in the Premier League, the last of which was a disappointing late collapse against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and they will be desperate to sort things out against their local rivals.
That'll be easier said than done, however, as West Ham find themselves on a run of just one defeat in their last six games, the last of which was a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
With the two sides separated by just one place and one point in the Premier League, there's a lot more than bragging rights at stake in this one, and that usually makes for an enthralling encounter.
Here's 90min's preview of the clash.
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? Monday 21 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (GMT)
Where Is It Played? Stamford Bridge
TV Channel? Sky Sports Main Event (UK), fuboTV (US)
Referee? Chris Kavanagh
Team News
Chelsea could be boosted by the return of winger duo Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi, both of whom returned to training on Tuesday after a few weeks out with hamstring injuries.
However, there are fresh concerns about right-back Reece James, who has been sent for scans on a knee injury which has worsened somewhat in recent days. The severity of his issue is not yet known - there have been suggestions he could play on Monday alongside claims he may need surgery.
As for West Ham, long-term absentee Arthur Masuaku remains sidelined, while David Moyes will need to make a late decision on defender Fabian Balbuena and forward Michail Antonio, who are both nearing recovery from muscle injuries.
Predicted Lineups
Chelsea: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Zouma, Chilwell; Kante, Mount, Havertz; Pulisic, Giroud, Werner.
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Benrahma, Fornals; Haller.
Recent Form
The mood around Stamford Bridge has soured somewhat recently. Chelsea had been on a 17-game unbeaten run in all competitions which saw them finish top of their Champions League group and thrust them into debates about a Premier League title challenge, but two consecutive defeats in the competition has changed things.
Lampard's side are actually without a win in their last three games in all competitions, and their struggles in front of goal has seen the form of expensive summer signings Kai Havertz and Timo Werner come under scrutiny.
Chelsea know they need to be better, but getting a win against a team who did the double over them last season is a tough ask.
West Ham will come into this one feeling pretty confident. While their recent 1-1 draw with Palace was a little frustrating, positive recent performances against Aston Villa and Leeds have kept fans feeling good.
Memories of October's draws with Tottenham and Manchester City are still fresh in the memory and prove that Moyes' men are more than capable of getting a good result against the odds.
Here's how both sides have performed in their last five games.
Chelsea
Wolves 2-1 Chelsea (15/12)
Everton 1-0 Chelsea (12/12)
Chelsea 1-1 Krasnodar (8/12)
Chelsea 3-1 Leeds (5/12)
Sevilla 0-4 Chelsea (2/12)
West Ham
West Ham 1-1 Crystal Palace (16/12)
Leeds 1-2 West Ham (11/12)
West Ham 1-3 Manchester United (5/12)
West Ham 2-1 Aston Villa (30/11)
Sheffield United 0-1 West Ham (22/11)
Prediction
You only need to look at the Premier League table to see how tight this one could be. Chelsea are eighth on 22 points and West Ham are ninth on 21, so there's obviously not a lot separating the two teams.
On paper, Chelsea have the talent needed to come out on top, but whether they have the confidence to do so is a different question. The Blues have looked limp in their last few games, whereas West Ham are flying high.
Ultimately, Chelsea will still be narrow favourites, but expect them to have to work hard for this one. West Ham won't go down without a fight.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham