This article is part of our Soccer Picks series.
Chelsea and Fulham collide Thursday at Stamford Bridge in the 92nd edition of the West London derby.
Chelsea will look to return to their winning ways after being held at bay at Goodison Park in their last fixture. Fulham will also be looking for their finishing boots after failing to find a breakthrough from 15 shots (five on goal) in a 0-0 draw against bottom of the table Southampton.
Chelsea sit second in the Premier League table on 35 points, four points off Liverpool who hold a game in hand. Fulham are ninth on 25 points, just three points off the pace for European qualification being set by fifth place Bournemouth.
Premier League Predicted & Confirmed Lineups
Premier League Schedule and Fixture Difficulty Ranker
HEAD TO HEAD
Chelsea and Fulham have met on 91 occasions, dating back to 1910 when Fulham defeated Chelsea 1-0 in a League Division Two match. Over their last 10 meetings in all competitions, the Blues have dominated the Cottagers, winning eight times, drawing once and losing once.
Chelsea lead the all-time series, winning 52 times and drawing on 27 occasions. In their 37 matchups across all competitions since 2000, Fulham have managed just two victories and 11 draws.
ODDS
Moneyline
DraftKings: CHE -220 Draw +390, FUL +500 (PROMO CODE)
FanDuel: CHE -230 Draw +390, FUL +500 (PROMO CODE)
BetMGM: CHE -210 Draw +380, FUL +475 (BONUS CODE)
Bet365: CHE +209 Draw +375, FUL +500 (BONUS CODE)
LINEUP NOTES & INJURY NEWS
Chelsea
Chelsea enter the fixture nursing injuries across their defense. Defenders Reece James and Wesley Fofana are out out an extended period with hamstring injuries. Infrequently selected Benoit Badiashile has made limited appearances this season and will be out for the foreseeable future, according to manager Enzo Maresca. Holding midfielder Romeo Lavia has missed two successive fixtures with an undisclosed knock and will be out Thursday.
In a sneak peak at what could be to come in Thursday's fixture, Maresca opted for a central defensive pairing of Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo in their 0-0 draw against Everton. Axel Disasi was selected at right-back to deputize for a recovering James with regular right-back Malo Gusto flipped to the left side of the formation to take the place of Marc Cucurella as he served his one-match ban.
With Gusto and Cucurella each available for selection Thursday, expect the duo to trade opportunities to jump into the midfield in possession, creating a 3-2-5 attacking shape that's led to the Blues to the joint-moist goals scored in the Premier League. Cole Palmer is likely to be in the No. 10 role, playing in the hole behind striker Nicolas Jackson. However, the attacking midfielder is not confined by the shape of the formation, and you'll see the superstar vacate the pocket, creating opportunities for the likes of Enzo Fernandez or Gusto to occupy the space and press the defense.
In another fixture where the Blues are likely to maintain control and face the task of overcoming a Fulham unit who will pile players behind the ball, Maresca's selection on the wings will be telling. Noni Madueke gave way to Pedro Neto on the left wing against Everton while Jadon Sancho retained his place on the left.
Fulham
Fulham arrive at Stamford Bridge with question marks galore across their midfield. Emile Smith Rowe will be a game-time decision for the fixture after missing Fulham's 0-0 draw with Southampton due to a "small leg injury," according to manager Marco Silva. Fellow midfielders Sasa Lukic (shoulder) and Sander Berge (ankle) are each questionable for the match after picking up knocks versus the Saints.
In cobbling together a coherent midfield unit from his hobbling options, expect Silva to include Alex Iwobi and Andreas Pereira at the center of his plans. Veteran Tom Cairney received his first start of the season in Fulham's match versus Southampton and is equipped to handle the holding midfielder duties in lieu of more standard options for the Cottagers.
Raul Jimenez is likely to lead the line after playing in just 28 minutes of Fulham's previous fixture. He'll be supported by a duo of Adama Traore and Harry Wilson with youngster Rodrigo Muniz poised to take his chance from the bench as the game progresses.
The Fulham back four is headlined by Premier league breakout performer Antonee Robinson at left-back. Robinson has compiled six assists this season while playing every minute of Fulham's first 17 league fixtures. Calvin Bassey and Issa Diop pair in central defense, though veteran Joachim Andersen, now fit, will be seeking to reclaim his position from Diop. With regular starter Kenny Tete out for an extended spell on the sidelines, Timothy Castagne filled the role of right-back last time out.
FORMATIONS
Chelsea have developed a concrete identity under Maresca. The Blues setup in a dynamic shape that appears as a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 out of possession and invert full-backs into the midfield to create a 3-2-5 attacking shape in possession. Maresca's tactics appear to be heavily influenced from his time coaching at Manchester CIty as an acolyte to Pep Guardiola.
Fulham are likely to roll out a stable 4-2-3-1 shape that will give the Cottagers the platform to defend the onslaught of Chelsea attacks. When out of possession, Silva has not been shy about shifting players form the front line to deeper positions in the formation, creating a 5-4-1 look for opponents to breakdown. When in possession, Fulham look to buildup down the wings via interchanges from their midfield with on-rushing fullbacks and wide forwards.
RECENT FORM
Chelsea (DWWWW) are unbeaten over their last 12 fixtures. In four December Premier League matches, they've outscored opponents 14-5 on aggregate and kept two clean sheets.
Fulham (DDDWD) have not lost in five December Premier League fixtures. Over that run, they've managed to earn a share of points in a 1-1 draw versus Arsenal and a 2-2 draw at Liverpool, results that foreshadow their ability to compete versus Chelsea.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Levi Colwill: Few defenders are asked to do more for their side's build-up play than Colwill, who is second in the league with 1,191 attempted passes, trailing only Virgil van Dijk. Though his defense will be the barometer by which he's measured, look for Colwill to be at the center of Chelsea's ability to move from back to front.
Antonee Robinson: Robinson will be keen to pick his moment to charge through a shape-shifting Chelsea unit as they transition from possession to defense. The full-back is tied for the third most assists in the Premier League with six. Over his last five league appearances, he's whipped in 25 crosses (seven accurate) and assisted three times.
BETTING PICKS & PREDICTION
Premier League Odds Comparisons
Man of the Match: Cole Palmer
Palmer has been a dominant force since breaking into super stardom. Chelsea have deployed the attacking midfielder in a role prioritizing his distribution. Over their most recent two fixtures, Palmer has attempted 16 crosses (four accurate) and six corners while creating seven chances. I back Maresca's ability to free Palmer from the ankle-kicking defending that oppositions have imposed upon him and create the superstar space from which to continue his rampant distribution and return to the scoresheet.
Result: Chelsea 3-1 Fulham
UPCOMING EPL FIXTURES
Chelsea: Dec. 30 at Ipswich Town
Fulham: Dec. 29 vs. Bournemouth
