The international break has come to an end so we turn our attention to the resumption of the Premier League campaign on Saturday with all the big numbers needed ahead of the game…
Here, we have the clash of the best defence and the worst attack in the Premier League – going by numbers since Thomas Tuchel was appointed.
Across all competitions, it’s been 687 minutes since Chelsea conceded – facing teams like Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid twice in that run – and Tuchel has seen his side ship just two goals in the Premier League. A title challenge could be on the agenda next season.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that a Chelsea win to nil at 5/6 looks the most likely outcome here.
There’s a touch more value in the goalscorer markets. Kai Havertz looks set to add to his Premier League tally for the season of just one goal in the coming weeks if Tuchel continues to see him as a central striker. The German has struggled to adjust to the Premier League since his £62m move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer but an arm around the shoulder from his new manager seems to be helping.
He was very unfortunate not to score when leading the line against both Everton and Leeds, having five shots on goal in total and registering a combined expected goal figure of 0.86. If selected, he’s a fine price to open the scoring.
Chelsea are unbeaten against West Brom in the last seven Premier League outings, winning four of the past five.
The Baggies last beat Chelsea in May 2015 at the Hawthorns. Tony Pulis was their manager when we had already won the league.
Chelsea are seeking to extend our unbeaten home run against West Bromwich to 18 games in all competitions. The Baggies last win against us at the Bridge was in November 1983 in the League Cup third round under Ron Wylie. The 17-game run includes 14 wins and three draws.
Read Also: EPL: West Brom Vs Chelsea: Match Updates
The last occasion the Baggies came away from the Bridge with a league victory was in September 1978 when Ron Atkinson managed the team to a 3-1 victory. Goals came from Cyrille Regis, John Wile and Tony Brown. Steve Wicks opened the scoring for Ken Shellito’s Chelsea side. West Brom went on to finish third that season behind champions Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Chelsea were relegated with our lowest ever points total (20).
The Blues have scored at least one goal in our past 23 home league games against West Brom, last failing to find the net against them in December 1967.
In the reverse fixture at the Hawthorns in September, the Baggies were 3-0 up after 27 minutes but the Blues pulled it back to 3-3 with a 93rd-minute equaliser from Tammy Abraham.
Only Manchester City (21) have conceded fewer Premier League goals this season than Chelsea (25).
Thomas Tuchel has extended his club-record longest unbeaten start to a managerial reign at Chelsea to 14 games.
Chelsea are going for a club record eighth successive clean sheet in all competitions, having equalled the previous record of seven against Sheffield United, that was first set in 1905/06 and then again in 2003/04 and 2005/06 (twice).
Thomas Tuchel has become the first manager in Premier League history to oversee a clean sheet in each of his first five home games in charge in the competition. We have conceded only twice in his first 10 games at the helm; no manager has seen his side concede fewer in their opening 10 matches (level with Jose Mourinho in his first spell at Chelsea in 2004).
Against Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge, Edouard Mendy kept his 20th clean since he joined us in September last year. He is the 24th Chelsea goalkeeper to achieve 20 clean sheets and in that group, he has a higher clean sheet ratio than any other Blues keeper.
Chelsea are yet to concede a goal in our five Premier League home games under Thomas Tuchel. Kevin De Bruyne was the last opponent to score a league goal at the Bridge in Man City’s 3-1 win on 3 January.
In English top-flight history, the only team to keep a clean sheet in their first six home league games under a specific manager are Man City under Ron Saunders in 1973/74.
Chelsea have only lost two home games in all competitions in the last 28, winning 19 of them. Our two defeats in that time were to Liverpool (0-2) and Man City (1-3).
Chelsea have conceded two goals in our past 14 games in all competitions, both coming away from home. Luton Town’s Jordan Clark was the last player to score against us at Stamford Bridge on 24 January.
Sam Allardyce’s side are 19th with 18 points from their 29 games and 10 points from safety.
West Brom have conceded two goals in their last five Premier League matches but have only scored once in that run.
The Baggies have failed to score in over half of their Premier League games this season (15 in 29).
West Bromwich Albion have scored fewer (nine) and conceded more (30) second-half goals than any other Premier League side this season.
West Brom have won one (vs Crystal Palace in 2016) of their past 20 PL games in London, losing the last seven.
All three of Callum Robinson’s Premier League goals have been scored against Chelsea, scoring once for Sheffield United last season and twice in the reverse fixture for the Baggies this term.
Only Sheffield United (16) have scored fewer Premier League goals than West Brom this season (20).
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