Chelsea FC News

Our tipster Jones Knows provides his betting insight and analysis on the Premier League’s final day as he thinks West Ham possess the firepower to score at Manchester City.

Manchester City vs West Ham, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

Arsenal fans, you’re looking for hope aren’t you? Well, I can give you some. West Ham look a fine bet to score in this match with the both teams to score option at 4/5 with Sky Bet hard to ignore.

West Ham are an excellent counter-attacking side with Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen exceptional in transition and City are vulnerable to that style of play. Clean sheets have been hard to come by this season anyway for Pep Guardiola’s side, having conceded at least once in 33 of their 46 games across the Premier League and Champions League.

That figure probably should be higher too as only recently Spurs created 1.66 worth of expected goals despite City keeping a clean sheet and Nottingham Forest racking up a whopping 1.93 without scoring.

West Ham, who have scored in away trips to Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and Aston Villa this season, have the finishers in Kudus (7/1 to score anytime) and Bowen (9/2 to score anytime) to make this a more dangerous fixture than it looks for City. Both players are worth backing.

I wouldn’t go as far to say that Arsenal are a bet to win the Premier League title at 15/2 with Sky Bet but City might be required to score two or even three goals to win this match, so that could lead to heart rates increasing in north London at some stage.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Both teams to score (4/5 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

Arsenal vs Everton, Sunday 4pm – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE! – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

Everton’s inability to find the net on a consistent basis this season – only Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than them (39) – means Arsenal should deliver for punters that want to take the 1/6 with Sky Bet for a home win. That said, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a player who doesn’t want the season to end – he’s been unplayable in recent weeks – so Gabriel and William Saliba will need to be on their game. I like Saliba’s foul lines here with Sky Bet.

Calvert-Lewin has won 16 fouls in his last six starts – it equates exactly to 2.95 fouls per 90 since March 30 and only three players are working at a higher foul won ratio.

Saliba and Gabriel’s fouls committed numbers have spiked in Arsenal’s run-in as the pressure has increased, making 33 fouls between them in their last 11 games. Saliba, who has made 13 of those fouls, is priced up favourably here with 4/5 with Sky Bet on offer to make at least one foul. The bigger lines of 4/1 for two or more and 14/1 for three or more are also worth respecting.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-0

Liverpool vs Wolves, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

The Jurgen Klopp era is ending much like how it started: in that Liverpool are very easy to score against.

For the first time under his watch, Klopp’s team have conceded two or more goals in four consecutive games. There will be a celebratory atmosphere at Anfield with an exhibition-like game full of Liverpool’s heavy-metal attacking on show, which will also bring ample opportunities up the other end for Wolves to exploit. They can certainly play their part in a goal-heavy game that the markets are predicting will test the over 4.5 goals line which is a 11/8 shot – a crazy price really.

My eyes are drawn to Matheus Cunha’s price to score or assist in the game at 7/4 with Sky Bet.

Cunha has six goals in his last six Premier League starts, scoring 12 goals this season, of which nine have come away from Molineux. He’s also bagged seven assists, resulting in a per 90 goal involvement ratio of 0.72 which is the 11th best record of any player in the league this season of players to have played 2,000 minutes or more. His price, based on those numbers, to grab another goal involvement should be shorter than 7/4.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-3

Chelsea vs Bournemouth, Sunday 4pm, live on Sky Sports – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

Nicolas Jackson sure does love a foul and knows how to mix it with defenders.

Playing as the lone front man can be a frustrating experience at times and Jackson has been carded 10 times, making 21 fouls in his last 19 starts.

Meanwhile, Bournemouth’s central defensive duo are encouraged to stride out with the ball to start attacks and Jackson will be tasked with stopping that at source. The opposition centre-forward has made 35 fouls in the last 24 games across all competitions when facing Bournemouth, so Jackson looks in line to keep the referee busy.

In a game where Chelsea will be looking to see the job through to finish sixth, Jackson’s prices of 5/2 with Sky Bet to make two or more fouls make appeal.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1

Brighton vs Manchester United, Sunday 4pm – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

It’s been a glorious season for making money off Manchester United shipping shots and corners. Let’s hope for my bank balance Erik ten Hag is given one more year as I’m eyeing up a new car at some point before Christmas. United have conceded the most corners of any team in the Premier League this season (272), yes – more than Sheffield United.

And, only the Blades have faced more shots this season than Ten Hag’s men, who hit the 650-mark in the win over Newcastle. Truly remarkable numbers and there is no reason to desert that betting strategy here while the prices are still in our favour.

Brighton’s corner line has been set at seven or more corners won at 10/11 with Sky Bet which looks very fair to me considering United conceded eight in the meeting between the two at Old Trafford and have conceded at least seven corners in 13 of their last 17 matches.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Brighton to win seven or more corners (10/11 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

Brentford vs Newcastle, Sunday 4pm

Newcastle still have a lot to play for.

A victory would put them in a very good spot to play European football next season, something that is very important for Eddie Howe. That could either be by finishing sixth if beating Brentford and Chelsea losing – or by finishing seventh by bettering Manchester United’s result at Brighton. If that happens then they’d need Man City to beat United in the FA Cup, so seventh place would result in a Europa Conference League spot. City are 1/9 with Sky Bet to win at Wembley, so seventh should be enough.

A pro-Toon bet has to be the play but they look short enough at 23/20 with Sky Bet for the away win, so I’m heading to the goalscorer market where Joelinton stands out at 5/1 with Sky Bet to score. His influence has been sorely missed by Howe’s side and he looked very sharp off the bench at Manchester United, posting three shots in his 28 minutes of action. If he starts, he’s a big price to score.

SCORE PREDICTION: 2-3

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa, Sunday 4pm

It sums up how tightly congested teams truly are outside the top three and bottom three in that Crystal Palace, in 12th place in the Premier League fully 22 points behind fourth-placed Villa, are odds-on at 5/6 with Sky Bet to win this match. Even though recent form and the potential for Villa hangovers following a gruelling schedule and party-time in recent days are playing a part in the price, I’m convinced there really isn’t much between the likes of Villa and Tottenham and Palace and Bournemouth. It should make for some great betting opportunities next season.

I’m certainly with Palace here but would rather just back Michael Olise to score anytime at 11/10 with Sky Bet than take a skinny price on the home win. It’s now eight goals in his last eight starts for the Palace superstar, who could have a Cole Palmer-like season next year if staying fit and firing in this Oliver Glasner team.

SCORE PREDICTION: 3-1

Sheffield United vs Tottenham, Sunday 4pm – PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!

I’m always inclined to oppose cards when it comes to dead-rubbers on the final day.

In the last 10 seasons on the final day, the average booking points stands at just 29.15 per match with 12 per cent of the matches seeing no cards shown.

This could head down the path of being a very drifty, one-sided game. Sheffield United’s games have taken a sharp downturn on average cards shown in recent weeks. There’s only been seven yellows and one red shown in their last five Premier League fixtures, with no cards shown in their away day at Newcastle. Such is their lack of pace and trickery, they don’t possess the required attributes to win cynical fouls off the opposition.

And Andy Madley is a lenient referee who doesn’t use his cards to manage a game. Since the start of last season, he is averaging just 3.7 cards per 90 minutes, making him the fourth lowest card shark of referees to have taken charge of 40 or more Premier League games.

Sheffield United to be shown more cards than Tottenham is the way to attack the angle at Evens with Sky Bet.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-5

Luton vs Fulham, Sunday 4pm

In a season that has been a goal frenzy, I’m fully expecting Sunday to follow that trend of being a crazy, crazy day for goals. In the last 10 Premier League final days, the goal-per-game ratio has always sailed above the season average for goals per matchday on the final day. Over those 10 years, the average goal count per matchday increases 0.6 per match from the overall average total goal count per match.

Teams are more likely to play with a bit more freedom in a no-pressure environment. It’s attack-minded football to the fore. And this game just screams mad scoreline.

Final-day games have the tendency to go into overdrive in terms of a scoreline. Remember Crystal Palace 5-3 Bournemouth in 2019? Or Tottenham 5-4 Leicester in 2018? How about Hull City 1-7 Tottenham in 2017? And there was relegated Southampton drawing 4-4 Liverpool last season.

So, I wouldn’t put people off having a stab at the 12/1 with Sky Bet on over 6.5 goals and the 25/1 on over 7.5 goals.

SCORE PREDICTION: 4-3

Burnley vs Nottingham Forest, Sunday 4pm

Nottingham Forest can technically still be relegated. If they lose and Luton win with a 12-goal turnaround then the most sensational final-day swing is on. It’s not going to happen, I know, but this should keep Forest’s motivation levels high for this game. There still is a job to be done and, quite clearly, they are a much better football team than Burnley.

The Premier League table doesn’t paint that picture to the extent that the underlying numbers do where Forest have been posting some impressive metrics for a while. If you collate their expected goals for and expected goals against difference since February 1, it comes out at +3.55 which is actually the sixth-best record of any team in the Premier League. Burnley sit second bottom on that front at -12.32.

With motivation added into the mix, that disparity in performance levels isn’t shown in the outright market here so Forest look a cracking bet to me at 13/10 in the outright and 4/1 with Sky Bet to win the game and over 3.5 goals scored in the match.

SCORE PREDICTION: 1-3 | JONES KNOWS’ BEST BET: Nottingham Forest to beat Burnley (13/10 with Sky Bet – Bet Here!)

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In-form Chelsea held on to beat Brighton 2-1 after Reece James’ late red card, meaning they move up to sixth in the Premier League and edge towards European football next season.

Goals from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku had put the visitors in control at the Amex but it was a nervy finale for Mauricio Pochettino’s men after captain James kicked out at Joao Pedro and was sent off following a VAR check with two minutes of normal time remaining. Brighton could not add to Danny Welbeck’s close-range finish seven minutes into injury time, though.

A sixth-placed finish will earn Chelsea Europa League football, should Man City win the FA Cup, or a UEFA Conference League spot, if Man Utd beat their rivals at Wembley. There is yet hope of stealing fifth off London rivals Tottenham, should Spurs surprisingly slip up at Sheffield United on the final day.

But regardless of what happens elsewhere, Chelsea supporters will be buoyed by their side’s run of four straight victories, with their travelling fanbase able to celebrate back-to-back away wins for the first time in 2024.

There were plenty more talking points on the south coast, with VAR in focus just hours after it was revealed Premier League clubs will vote on scrapping the system for next season.

VAR Peter Bankes advised referee Michael Salisbury to check the pitchside monitor for James’ obvious sending off and there were other high-profile calls from the officials in Stockley Park in the first half.

Bankes also rightly advised the ref to overturn his decision to hand Chelsea a penalty for Facundo Buonanotte’s good tackle on Marc Cucurella – but let off Tariq Lamptey for taking out Mykhailo Mudryk. Bankes said there was no conclusive evidence of violent conduct from Lamptey. Mudryk was forced out of the game with concussion.

There was also a header from Nicolas Jackson ruled out in that first half but those calls ultimately did not prevent Chelsea from continuing their strong finish to the campaign.

Brighton mounted a big push at the end of this contest, with Simon Adingra hitting a post before Welbeck pulled one back. It was the second time they’d hit the woodwork, after Joao Pedro’s header against the bar on the stroke of half time. But once again Brighton lacked precision in the final third. It is now 15 games since they scored more than once in a match.

A third defeat of the season to Chelsea leaves their hopes of a top-half finish under threat on the final day.

What’s next?

The final day of the Premier League season sees Brighton host Manchester United at the Amex on Sunday, kick-off 4pm.

At the same time, Chelsea are at home to Bournemouth as they look to secure their place in Europe.

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Are Chelsea starting to show maturity?

For Chelsea, there have been too many “back to square ones”. A 4-1 loss to Liverpool followed three straight league wins. Last month, they backed up a 6-0 win over Everton with a 5-0 loss to Arsenal.

The Blues looked set for another setback when Callum Hudson-Odoi put Nottingham Forest 2-1 up. The player they sold for £5m was overshadowing the likes of Raheem Sterling and Mykahilo Mudryk, who were deemed “what a waste of money” by the home fans as Forest took the lead.

But as Mauricio Pochettino said after the game: “The last few months, the team is showing this capacity to be strong in our mind and be more mature.”

The manner which Chelsea struck back was a strong response to the narratives they have faced all season.

Sterling and Nicolas Jackson can turn up when needed. Reece James can deliver despite his injuries. Moises Caicedo – who had an assist and played a stunning pass for James to set up Jackson’s winner – looks somewhat like a £115m player.

Chelsea have now lost one league game in three months – and that 5-0 loss to Arsenal looks now looks like a blip. If Pochettino had 20 more games this season, who knows where they would be? In fact, with a European slot one step nearer, who knows where they’re going?
Sam Blitz

Fulham given summer window reminder as goals dry up

For a long time it looked as though Fulham would be fine without Aleksandr Mitrovic. Both Marco Silva and owner Shahid Khan have pointed to how impressive another mid-table season has been given the unwanted loss of their talisman last summer.

For a long time, it looked like the Cottagers would even outscore last season, following a run of nine games without drawing a blank to the start of April.

But now alarm bells have started to ring.

Rodrigo Muniz netted four times in March to earn the Premier League player of the month award, but since his goals have dried up, so have Fulham’s.

Four in their last six have seen them pick up just five points in that time. The season is not ending on a sour note as such, but there is certainly one of caution.

It took almost an hour to register even a shot against Manchester City, and it ended up being their only one. That can perhaps be forgiven against one of the world’s best teams.

But it followed a similarly dour 0-0 at Fulham a week ago.

Muniz still looks a rough diamond who could yet produce another purple patch or more next season. But Fulham need more.

Replacing a striker of Mitrovic’s standing is not easy – and if they do want to push on towards Europe next season, as Silva has suggested, it’s a problem they need to solve this summer.
Ron Walker

Spurs rediscover winning touch ahead of Man City showdown

There was a lot of pressure on Tottenham heading into Saturday’s game against Burnley. After four successive – and bruising – Premier League defeats, a win and good performance were needed.

And they had both. While Burnley matched Spurs in the first half – not surprising given their own Premier League status was on the line – the hosts accelerated ahead with their superior quality.

Ange Postecoglu would have wanted the winning goal to come sooner than the 82nd minute, but Spurs’ undisputed player of the season Micky Van de Ven once again dug them out of a hole.

“Credit to the players,” the Spurs boss told Sky Sports. “We’ve had four defeats and it’s bound to add some stress and anxiety into the performance. Burley had to go for it… The pleasing thing for me is the lads worked their way through it and got the result.”

The stats show that they were back to the kind of form we are used to as well. Tottenham have won 25 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season – only Liverpool (28) have recovered more – and have scored in 33 of their 36 games, the most in the league.

It is just the performance they needed ahead of a huge showdown with title-chasing Manchester City on Tuesday evening, live on Sky Sports – a game that has implications across north London.

Without wanting to state the obvious, Man City will offer a sterner test that Burnley, but a confidence-boosting win can do wonders. Whether it will be enough to shake up the Premier League title race remains to be seen.
Charlotte Marsh

Determined Burnley fight to the end

While Burnley’s season has ended in a return to the Championship, they certainly didn’t go down without a fight.

The Clarets gave as good as they got on Saturday. Knowing it was a win or out, they really did play with the shackles off as Vincent Kompany mentioned in his pre-match press conference.

In fact, at the end of an even first half, the stats were almost level. Burnley had half as many shots (4), but three of those were on target – the same as Tottenham. The visitors had the greater xG too.

And they hardly disgraced themselves after the break either – Spurs’ quality simply shone through. A special mention for goalkeeper Aro Muric too for a string of fine saves.

But Burnley needed a lot to swing their way to keep them from a drop that had seemed inevitable for some time. However, the team have to be given credit for not only their good performance against Tottenham, but in a number of games over the last two months.

They gave themselves a fighting chance – the most you can ask for in their situation – and Kompany spoke of excitement not only in his team, but also the future.

“Day one is tomorrow and that’s about where the opportunity is to get back to the Premier League as soon as we can,” he told Sky Sports.

Burnley and Kompany know what awaits them in the Championship – and more importantly, how to win it. Any success next season is being built as we speak.
Charlotte Marsh

Newcastle must finally deliver away from home

Newcastle supporters have received good value for their season tickets at St James’ Park, celebrating at least one goal in all 19 of their home league games for the first time in the Premier League era.

Their side had previously scored in 18 of their 19 home games in the 1995/96, 1996/97 and 2002/03 campaigns and 20 out of 21 in 1994/95, but have finally set a new record this term.

Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Callum Wilson have been their main source of enjoyment in a testing season that has seen Eddie Howe’s side riddled with injuries and playing in the Champions League.

Their Premier League away record ranks at 15th which has also been their undoing. With two games to play at Manchester United and Brentford, Newcastle must now earn crucial points on the road to qualify for Europe once more.
David Richardson

De Zerbi should mold Brighton around Enciso

Julio Enciso reminded Brighton of what they’ve missed and why Roberto De Zerbi should build the team around him next season.

The 20-year-old Paraquayan was sidelined for 32 matches in all competitions due to a knee injury with his appearance at Newcastle just his fourth start in the Premier League this campaign.

De Zerbi has eased Enciso back into action since his return in February and he is yet to complete a match but now his sharpness has begun to return.

Enciso flourished at St James’ Park playing behind striker Danny Welbeck and was at the heart of Brighton’s best moments with his energy and creativity.

He lacked composure in the final third with three of his five efforts flying off target while there was a bizarre dive which saw him booked which showed he is still rough around the edges although another Brighton diamond that can shine under De Zerbi.
David Richardson

Calvert-Lewin remains in unplayable mood

Where would Everton be if Dominic Calvert-Lewin had been this fit and firing all season?

He has looked a different animal since his late penalty grabbed Everton a late point at Newcastle. Amazing what a goal can do, although the way Sean Dyche has managed Calvert-Lewin’s workload has to be commended too. He scored the winner in the 1-0 win over Burnley, which was the start of this amazing run of five straight home wins to nil.

Since then, Everton and Calvert-Lewin have been rampant, seeing off Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Brentford and Sheffield United without conceding a goal. Outside Arsenal and Manchester City, no team are in better form.

Calvert-Lewin’s pace, power and physicality was too much for the powderpuff Blades, whose frustrations at having to deal with him boiled over just before the break when Jack Robinson inexplicably pushed the striker to the floor in an aggressive manner. In this mood, the Everton man is borderline unplayable. With a potential fire-sale in the summer happening at the club, Calvert-Lewin won’t be short of suitors if Everton need to cash-in.
Lewis Jones

Solanke outshines England rival Toney despite defeat

In a battle between two strikers competing to make England’s Euro 2024 squad, it was Ivan Toney’s team that came out on top but Dominic Solanke who staked a better claim to earn a seat on the plane to Germany.

Despite ending up on the losing side at the Vitality Stadium, Solanke netted his 19th Premier League goal of the season in front of Three Lions coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and on another day would have scored a hat-trick had two controversial first-half decisions gone his way.

The 26-year-old has already scored more goals than any other Bournemouth player in a Premier League campaign and until recently was in the hunt for the Golden Boot. Toney, on the other hand, has now gone 11 top-flight matches without scoring – his longest drought since playing for Northampton 10 years ago.

Toney and Ollie Watkins were given chances to shine in Harry Kane’s absence during England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in March – games designed to let Gareth Southgate experiment with those on the fringes of making his final squad for this summer’s tournament.

But Solanke, whose one cap for his country came back in 2017, was overlooked and it’s difficult to understand why. He has evolved into a complete striker and deserves another taste of international football.

There is no doubt Toney has wonderful qualities but as he readjusts to the rigours of the Premier League following a lengthy spell on the sidelines, Solanke continues to knock on Southgate’s door. He is making it impossible for the England boss not to pick him.
Dan Sansom

Luton in good shape to come straight back up

Rob Edwards cut a dejected figure at full time with tears rolling down the Luton Town manager’s cheeks as he and his players applauded their fans after a 3-1 loss at West Ham sent them straight back down to the Championship.

However, Edwards was more upbeat in his post-match press conference, rightly pointing out how his side – who nobody gave a chance of staying up – have been able to compete with most Premier League teams this season.

“It has fuelled the fire to come back,” said a defiant Edwards, before adding: “We will now be in a stronger place to attack the Championship and will be one of the stronger teams in the Championship.”

Edwards is right as his team have already showed they can compete at this level – “Some of our players have looked like Premier League players,” he rightly observed – and boosted by the parachute payments coming their way, it would be a surprise were the Hatters not to make an immediate top-flight return 12 months from now.
Richard Morgan

Olise shines again in Palace victory

After scoring twice in Crystal Palace’s 4-0 win over Manchester United on Monday evening, Michael Olise was the star of the show once more in his team’s deserved 3-1 victory over Wolves at Molineux. He was a delight to watch in winning the game for his side.

Olise scored the first goal of the game with what has become a trademark strike and set up the last. In between, he was constantly trying to create. It helps that Oliver Glasner appears to have found a style of play that brings out the best in the wide forward.

“I think everybody knows that he is a good player,” Glasner told reporters in the press conference afterwards. “I also think we found a very good position for him. He also benefits from other players. Daniel Munoz, how often he runs, gives him the space.”

This was the second game in five in which Olise has scored and assisted, drifting in from that right flank. With the energetic Munoz ever willing and with options ahead and inside, it feels like Olise has taken the next step forward as a player since Glasner took over.

The supporters at Molineux agreed – and not just those in Palace shirts. “He’s just too good for you,” sang the away end. The home fans responded in agreement with the same chant, before adding: “You’ll never see him again.” The Palace fans will hope they are wrong.
Adam Bate

Wolves end with whimper – but proud

Looking back now and it appears that Wolves’ season ran out of momentum with that FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Coventry. It is one win in 10 since then, their 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace confirming that Gary O’Neil side are limping towards the line.

Perspective is needed and there was plenty of it at Molineux – the players warmly cheered as the end-of-season awards played out on the pitch despite defeat. There is an awareness that this could have been a fraught campaign rather than an enjoyable one.

The concern for O’Neil is that he was without only two players – Pedro Neto and Craig Dawson. The former is likely attract interest from other clubs in the summer and the other is 34. Wolves need to strengthen but any funds will have to be generated by sales.

It is a challenge that many other Premier League clubs will face this summer – how to improve without investing. O’Neil’s impressive work has earned him time to coax that improvement out of his players on the training ground but it will not be easy.

A starting point will be figuring out how to cause more problems for the opposition than themselves when passing out from the back. Wolves have lost it in their own defensive third 242 times this season – more than any other team. Lots to work on in pre-season.
Adam Bate

How to book Fury v Usyk on Sky Sports Box Office

It’s one of the biggest sporting events in a generation. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk collide for the undisputed world heavyweight championship on Saturday May 18, live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book the fight now.

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