Chelsea will be looking to return to winning ways this weekend as they travel to the Hawthorns to take on an out-of-form West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.
Jose Mourinho’s men come into the clash under a bit of a cloud. A sluggish start to their title defence has seen them take just one point from their first two games. They have tried to remedy this with the signing of Pedro from Barcelona for £21 million, the versatile attacker will add firepower to an attack that has struggled to get going so far this term.
West Brom also have their own attacking problems to contend with, not able to find the net in either game this season. Bigger uncertainty lies off the pitch, however, as speculation of Sadio Berahino exiting for Tottenham Hotspur continues to grow. Problems are mounting for Tony Pulis and he will be looking for a positive response from his players who have been uninspiring so far.
Key Battle – James Morrison vs Branislav Ivanovic
Mourinho will be demanding the same from his side, after a poor afternoon at the Etihad Stadium last week showed the defensive frailties the Blue back line again. This is perhaps where Sunday’s game will be won and lost. Branislav Ivanovic, a player revered at the Bridge, has been outclassed for two weeks in a row by Jefferson Montero and Raheem Sterling, of Swansea City and Manchester City respectively.
The man the Serbian will come up against this weekend is James Morrison. The midfielder is not known for his searing pace, so this should be an easier proposition for Ivanovic, yet having said that, Morrison is an experienced Premier League player and will know early crosses could be a way of penetrating into the box. If not, he will look for an overlap to double-up on Ivanovic.
The stats show that Morrison could be fighting a losing battle from the outset. He has created just one chance this season, not something that will keep any Chelsea defender awake at night. The rest of the backline should be able to blunt West Brom’s attack, so if Ivanovic can keep the 29-year-old quiet, Chelsea will fancy their chances.
Team news
Mourinho suggested after the Swansea match his side were not prepared for the start of the season. Now three weeks in, his players need to show they are ready to battle for the title they won so convincingly last time around. With this in mind, he will make changes to the side that were dismantled by City. Expect Ramires to drop out for a more creative Brazilian of Oscar. Thibault Courtois could return after serving his ban, but understudy Asmir Begovic was superb at the Etihad, and will expect to have some faith returned by the manager.
Chelsea expected starting XI (4-2-3-1): Courtois (GK); Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic; Matic, Fabregas; Hazard, Oscar, Willian; Diego Costa
For West Brom, Pulis has a few conundrums. New signing Salomon Rondon is pushing for a start up top, and a big statement could be made if he decides to leave out Berahino. But the manager is a man of caution and is likely to replace the former Zenit man with Rickie Lambert, who is yet to sparkle for him. The rest of the team that drew at Vicarage Road will probably remain the same.
West Bromwich Albion expected starting XI (4-4-2): Myhill (GK); Dawson, McAuley, Ollson, Brunt; Morrison, Fletcher, Yacob, Gardner; Berahino, Rondon.
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Head-to-Head
In the previous 133 meetings, West Brom surprisingly have the edge, winning 57 times. In the premier league era the tables have turned though, with Chelsea taking all three points 13 times out of a possible 17.
Previous meeting
The last meeting between these sides favours the hosts. With the title won, Chelsea visited the Midlands only to leave with their tails between their legs after a 3-0 defeat. Berahino bagged a brace that day, with Chris Brunt scoring the other. Baggies fans will hope for more of the same on Sunday.
Prediction
Even so, West Brom will face a Chelsea side raring to prove the doubters wrong. The backlash will be hard and will be swift. The hosts are a defensively sound unit, but lack of firepower will not trouble the Chelsea defence. It will be an edgy affair, but Chelsea will seize control and return to winning ways.
West Bromwich Albion 0 Chelsea 3
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