Paul Merson predicts result of West Ham clash against Chelsea
Paul Merson has tipped West Ham to hold Chelsea to a draw when the Blues visit the London Stadium later on Saturday.
The Hammers will be facing their biggest test of the Premier League campaign when they host the leaders today (3 December), and the Sky Sports pundit reckons both teams could settle for the share of the spoils, predicting a 1-1 draw in his Sportskeeda column.
David Moyes men played out a 1-1 draw against Brighton on Wednesday (1 December) and will be looking for their first win in four games when they Chelsea.
Merson said: “West Ham have gone backwards ever since they got into the Premier League top four. They can’t seem to win a match now – they’ve failed to win their last three games.
“This is a big game for West Ham, though, and they will be tighter at the back than they were against Brighton.
“Chelsea got lucky against Watford this week and haven’t been at their best this week. I’d play Romelu Lukaku in this match – West Ham’s biggest threat comes from set plays and Chelsea could use a player of Lukaku’s build.
“Chelsea are not playing particularly well at the moment and this game could turn out to be a draw.”
Chance?
Manchester City are the only team to have managed to hand Chelsea a defeat this season, and West Ham will have to be on top of their game to have a chance of following suit.
Thomas Tuchel’s men have shipped just six league goals so far in 14 games, scoring 33, and they have been absolutely devastating at both ends.
The Irons are up for a tough challenge, but they proved their worth against Liverpool prior to November’s international break, and they will be looking to repeat that performance later today.
The fans will be cheering them on all game, and if they can follow Moyes’ plans and instructions to the letters, a win or draw is very much possible.
It is easier said than done, though, and Chelsea are topping the charts for one reason.
They are a tough side to play against and are favourites against West Ham.
The result will have a huge say on the current top-four standings, and slipping out of the Champions League zone is not something the Hammers want right now.
In other West Ham news, an amazing attacker is making personal arrangements for Hammers switch in January.
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