CHELSEA v WEST HAM UNITED
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 17 MARCH 2013
KICK-OFF: 4PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL OLIVER
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 17 MARCH 2013
KICK-OFF: 4PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL OLIVER
Chelsea v West Ham United
Good afternoon and welcome to Stamford Bridge for today's Barclays Premier League London derby between Chelsea and West Ham United. May I start by wishing a happy St Patrick's Day to all of our Irish supporters, wherever you may be!If you have not made it to Stamford Bridge today, then why not join us at the Boleyn Ground for the upcoming Barclays Premier League visits of West Bromich Albion and Manchester United? Tickets are selling fast for both fixtures.
The Hammers are seeking to complete their first league 'double' of the season at the other end of the London Underground District line, having beaten the Blues 3-1 at the Boleyn Ground back on 1 December. Sam Allardyce's side will also win back-to-back league games for the first time this season if they are triumphant at Stamford Bridge. Recent history does not bode too well, however, as West Ham have not won at Stamford Bridge since a 3-2 victory on 28 September 2002. Since then, it has been seven games without a victory at Chelsea.
West Ham should kick-off the game 12th in the table - the same position they started the weekend in - unless Fulham are roundly thrashed at Tottenham Hotspur by five goals or more. Should they win, they could rise as high as tenth. Defeat could see Big Sam's men drop to 14th.
Chelsea will also have an eye on proceedings at White Hart Lane. Should Spurs lose or draw, a victory would take Chelsea above their north London rivals into third and give them the edge in the race for a place in next season's UEFA Champions League - a competition the Blues won last term.
Team news-wise, Big Sam has a few headaches, with skipper Kevin Nolan (toe) and Hammer of the Year Mark Noble (arm) both likely to be missing from his midfield. Their absences could hand Gary O'Neil another chance to shine in his new holding midfield role. Further forward, former Chelsea star Joe Cole is definitely out with a hamstring injury suffered in the 1-0 win at Stoke City last time out on 2 March.Defensively, James Tomkins is available again after a virus ruled him out of the previous two matches, while left-back George McCartney made his comeback after three months out with a knee injury in Friday's 1-1 Development Squad draw with Arsenal.
For Chelsea, things are less difficult for manager Rafa Benitez. Spanish midfielder Oriel Romeu is out for the season with a serious knee injury but, otherwise, Benitez has a fully-fit squad at his disposal.One issue that may affect the hosts is fatigue. While West Ham have not played for 15 days, Chelsea have beaten Romanian side Steaua Bucharest over two legs in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 and drawn 2-2 at Manchester United in the FA Cup with Budweiser sixth round in the past eleven days.
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