Premier League football returns on Saturday as Chelsea welcome West Brom to Stamford Bridge – live on talkSPORT.
It’s the first time either side have played in the top-flight since March 13 following the FA Cup quarter-final weekend and the international break.
AFP
They resume their campaigns in totally different states, with Chelsea looking to consolidate their top-four position, while West Brom need a miracle to stay up.
The Blues are unbeaten since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival in January and the Baggies have won just twice under Sam Allardyce.
Chelsea vs West Brom: How to listen
The match will kick off at 12:30pm on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.
Our coverage will be presented by Reshmin Chowdhury, with commentary from Clive Tyldesley and Alvin Martin.
To tune in, click the radio player below or HERE for the live stream.
Here are the other ways to listen…
App iPhone – Download from the Apple store
Android – Download from Google Play
Radio – talkSPORT is available across the United Kingdom via DAB digital radio and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
TV – Listen to talkSPORT through your TV on the following channels: Sky: Channel 0108 Virgin Media: Channel 927 Freeview: Channel 723 Freesat: Channel 731
Chelsea vs West Brom: Team news
Chelsea will be boosted by the return of Thiago Silva, who has been out since February.
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However, the Blues will not be able to call on N’Golo Kante after the midfielder suffered an injury during France duty, which will rule him out of the Champions League first leg against Porto as well.
West Brom, meanwhile, have a full squad to choose from with the exception of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, who cannot face his parent club.
Chelsea vs West Brom: What has been said
Chelsea manager Tuchel: “It can be enjoyable to take a break, to breath and relax and refocus. At the same time, it’s strange. The players come back from different time zones – Giroud and Zouma had a game with five hours time difference and they take three, four flights to arrive back.
“This is clearly not the best prepartion to arrive for a game at 12.30pm. It’s a time that I am still adapting too. We don’t break out heads too much about it, it’s clear when you join a club like Chelsea we have to adapt.
“We had a good training session today and we will have the team together for dinner. It’s important we enjoy these moments and refocus for the games ahead.”
AFP
West Brom boss Allardyce: “When you’re in our position and they’re in their position, you know before you go into the game that your possession stats are going to be lower than Chelsea’s. It’s making out the players to be most effective in those possessions.
“I think normally it’s us playing counter-attacking football, playing quick, sharp, forward passes to maybe exploit the spaces Chelsea will leave. If we spend too much time slowing it down, passing sideways and backwards, they will come and do a high press and take the ball off us.”
Chelsea vs West Brom: Match stats
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League meetings with West Brom (W5 D2), coming from 0-3 down at half-time to draw 3-3 in the reverse fixture at the Hawthorns this season.
West Brom are winless in their last 15 away league games against Chelsea (D3 L12) since a 3-1 win in September 1978. In the Premier League, the Baggies have lost 10 of their 12 visits to Stamford Bridge (D2), failing to score on nine occasions in that run.
Since a 0-1 defeat to Bournemouth in December 2015, Chelsea have won their last 11 Premier League home games against sides in the relegation zone by an aggregate score of 31-4.
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West Bromwich Albion have won just 10% of their Premier League games in London (W7 D19 L44), the lowest ratio of any non-London side with at least 50 visits to the capital. The Baggies are winless in their last 13 such games since a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in August 2016 (D2 L11).
Chelsea have had five goalless draws in the Premier League this season, with three of those coming in their 10 games under Thomas Tuchel. Only in 1998-99 and 2001-02 (both six) have the Blues had more 0-0 draws in a single Premier League campaign.
West Bromwich Albion have scored fewer (9) and conceded more (30) second half goals than any other Premier League side this season. Meanwhile, no side has conceded fewer goals after half-time than Chelsea (10), while 61% of the Blues’ goals scored this term have come in the second half (27/44).
After conceding 28 goals in their first 10 Premier League games under Sam Allardyce (2.8 per game), West Brom have shipped just three times in their last six in the competition (0.5 per game). However, the Baggies have scored just 10 goals in 16 league games under Allardyce (0.6 per game), failing to score in their last three.
Chelsea are yet to concede a single goal in their five Premier League home games under Thomas Tuchel. In English top-flight history, the only team to keep a clean sheet in their first six home games under a specific manager are Manchester City under Ron Saunders in 1973-74.
Hakim Ziyech has scored in both of his last two appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, the same number as in his first 24 games for the club. The Moroccan hasn’t scored in three consecutive club games since a run of four in January 2016 with FC Twente.
All three of West Brom forward 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.
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