Frank Lampard has failed to win a league home game since early December, with pressure mounting on the young manager.
Meanwhile, Burnley will be entering the match with their own set of problems, having experienced a three-game losing streak in the Premier League.
With Sean Dyche desperate for a win, can the Clarets do enough to take advantage of Chelsea’s disastrous home form? Here’s 90min’s preview of the upcoming fixture.
Where to Watch
| When is Kick Off? | Saturday 11 January |
| What Time Is Kick Off? | 15:00 (BST) |
| Where Is It Played? | Stamford Bridge |
| TV Channel/Live Stream? | N/A |
| Referee? | Kevin Friend |
Team News
The Blues remain without long-term absentee Ruben Loftus-Cheek, after the midfielder ruptured his Achilles’ tendon last season. Despite the 23-year-old appearing hopeful about his upcoming return, he is unlikely to make his comeback in the match against Burnley.
Marcos Alonso and Christian Pulisic are also doubts for the upcoming match with both players facing their own set of injury concerns. Alonso did not featured in the New Year’s Day game against Brighton due to a muscle injury, while Pulisic has missed out on the latest Chelsea fixtures after picking up a problem in training.
Sean Dyche also faces a few concerns ahead of the match, with Chris Wood and Johann Berg Gudmundsson both doubtful after suffering hamstring injuries in Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Peterborough.
Ben Gibson, who has been suffering with a groin problem, will face a fitness test ahead of the game. However, Nick Pope, having recently picked up an ankle injury, should be fit enough to play.
Ashley Barnes and Aaron Lennon could feature following groin problems.
Predicted Lineups
| Chelsea | Arrizabalaga; James, Rudiger, Zouma, Azpilciueta; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Abraham, Mount |
| Burnley | Pope; Bardsley, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Brady, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Rodriguez, Barnes |
Head to Head Record
Historically, there isn’t much to separate the two sides - with Chelsea winning 37 matches against the Clarets, yet Burnley hold the upper hand with 38 victories. There have also been 24 draws between the two teams, highlighting a pretty evenly contested fixture.
However, in recent times, it’s the Blues who have often come out victorious. Their most recent meeting resulted in a 4-2 to Chelsea in October this season, featuring a perfect hat-trick from their American star Christian Pulisic.
Recent Form
That being said, Chelsea’s recent performances in the Premier League haven’t exactly been plain sailing. The Blues have suffered their fair share of ups and downs in recent times, conjuring up two wins, two defeats and one draw in their last five league games.
However, it’s their home form which continues to haunt them – with their previous home league fixtures resulting in disappointing defeats to both Southampton and Bournemouth.
As previously mentioned, Burnley haven’t been on a good run themselves, with their FA Cup win against Peterborough ending a three-match losing streak.
Here’s how the two teams have performed in their last five games in all competitions.
| Chelsea | Burnley |
| Chelsea 2-0 Nottingham Forest (05/01) | Burnley 4-2 Peterborough (04/01) |
| Brighton 1-1 Chelsea (01/01) | Burnley 1-2 Aston Villa (01/01) |
| Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea (29/12) | Burnley 0-2 Manchester United (28/12) |
| Chelsea 0-2 Southampton (26/12) | Everton 1-0 Burnley (26/12) |
| Tottenham 0-2 Chelsea (22/12) | Bournemouth 0-1 Burnley (21/12) |
Prediction
With both teams currently suffering a bad spell of form, this weekend fixture could be anyone’s game.
However, Chelsea are still firm favourites to win the match and with Lampard hoping to maintain a large gap between them and fifth-placed Manchester United, he will be hoping to eliminate the curse at Stamford Bridge.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Burnley
Source : 90min