{"id":1427360,"date":"2026-01-29T16:28:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:28:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=news&p=1427360"},"modified":"2026-01-29T16:29:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:29:07","slug":"match-preview-chelsea-vs-west-ham-31-01-26-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/match-preview-chelsea-vs-west-ham-31-01-26-premier-league\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea vs West Ham: predictions, stats, tips & odds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chelsea<\/a> host West Ham <\/a>at Stamford in a London derby in the Premier League<\/a> Saturday evening at 5:30pm. The Blues will be hoping to close in on the top-4, while West Ham will be desperate to pick up points and narrow the five-point gap to safety. Find our match preview and best bets, which include a 30\/1 player cards double, below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Best Bets & Predictions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Our Prediction<\/th>\nOdds & Bookmaker<\/th>\nConfidence<\/th>\nWhy We’re Backing It<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Jarrod Bowen to commit 1+ foul<\/strong><\/td>\n1\/1 @ Sky Bet<\/a>
(43.5%)<\/td>\n		\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\nJarrod Bowen looks well overpriced in the fouls committed market, with Sky Bet offering a generous even money for him to clear the 1+ line. Bowen has given away at least one foul in three of his last four matches and has been booked in three of his last seven. The key angle here is that Bowen will be up against Marc Cucurella, who is a master at drawing fouls and convincing referees he has been impeded. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jarrod Bowen and Marc Cucurella to be carded<\/strong><\/td>\n30\/1 @ Sky Bet<\/a>
(3.2%)<\/td>\n		\u2b50\u2b50\u2b50<\/td>\nFollowing on from our first selection, we fancy Bowen and Cucurella to enjoy a good battle and we are having a little ickle on them both to be carded at 30\/1 with Sky Bet. The Spaniard has four cards in the league this term, while Bowen has three in his last seven. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n

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Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.<\/small><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How both teams go into Chelsea vs West Ham<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Chelsea secured their place in the Champions League last-16 on Wednesday with a 3-2 comeback win over Napoli in Italy, thanks to two brilliant second-half goals from Joao Pedro. Under new head coach Liam Rosenior, the West Londoners have won five of six matches in all competitions and are chasing a historic run of three straight Premier League wins at the start of his tenure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Blues have already beaten two fellow London sides in the league this season, defeating Brentford 2-0 at home and Crystal Palace 3-1 on the road, lifting them to fifth place and just one point behind fourth. Chelsea will be confident facing West Ham this weekend, having won their last four top-flight encounters with the Hammers by a combined 15-2 and scoring 109 goals in 59 Premier League meetings overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

West Ham have shown signs of revival under Nuno Espirito Santo, winning their last three games after a dismal 10-match winless run. The Hammers beat QPR 2-1 in extra time in the FA Cup before securing back-to-back Premier League wins against Tottenham and Sunderland, including a 3-1 home victory over the latter thanks to goals from Crysencio Summerville, Jarrod Bowen, and Mateus Fernandes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the recent upturn, West Ham remain 18th in the table, five points from safety, with 15 games left to escape the relegation zone. They have historically struggled against Chelsea, especially away from home, winning just once in their last 19 Premier League trips to face the Blues and losing their last five since a 1-0 victory in November 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season Form & Standings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2025\/26 season to date:<\/strong> Chelsea are pushing for a Champions League spot with 37 points from 23 matches (W10 D7 L6), while West Ham are in deep trouble, sitting 18th with just 20 points and the league\u2019s second-worst goal difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Team<\/th>\nPos<\/th>\nP<\/th>\nW<\/th>\nD<\/th>\nL<\/th>\nGF<\/th>\nGA<\/th>\nGD<\/th>\nPts<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Chelsea<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n39<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n+14<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
West Ham<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n23<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n27<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n-18<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Potential Match-Winners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cole Palmer has been the creative heartbeat for Chelsea this season, and his link-up with Jo\u00e3o Pedro Junqueira de Jesus in the final third has yielded plenty of big chances. For West Ham, Jarrod Bowen leads their attacking output, but the real standout has been Alphonse Areola in goal\u2014his 73 saves this season are among the highest in the league, reflecting just how frequently the Hammers are tested at the back. Palmer averages a high number of key passes per 90, while Areola faces an average of 3.2 shots on target per match. These duels will be crucial in determining the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head-to-Head<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last 6 Meetings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

West Ham have a habit of upsetting the odds in this fixture, including a remarkable 5-1 win at Stamford Bridge earlier this campaign. However, Chelsea have still won 10 of the last 18 meetings in all competitions, with the Hammers taking five and three draws shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Date<\/th>\nScore<\/th>\nCompetition<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
22\/08\/25<\/td>\nChelsea 1-5 West Ham<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
03\/02\/25<\/td>\nWest Ham 2-1 Chelsea<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21\/09\/24<\/td>\nChelsea 0-3 West Ham<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
05\/05\/24<\/td>\nWest Ham 5-0 Chelsea<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20\/08\/23<\/td>\nChelsea 3-1 West Ham<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11\/02\/23<\/td>\nChelsea 1-1 West Ham<\/td>\nPremier League<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion: Will Chelsea’s attack overwhelm West Ham, or can the Hammers spring another surprise?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After a successful trip to Italy with a 3-2 win over Napoli on Wednesday, Chelsea will be on a high. However, with more time prepare, West Ham can prevent a real challenge, and we expect them to get in the opposition’s faces in a lively London derby. Our best bet on the card is to back Jarrod Bowen to give away 1+ foul at a generous looking even money (1\/1). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.<\/small><\/p>\n\n\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n