Chelsea welcome Watford to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, kicking off at 2:00pm. Every game at the business end of the season is a must-win now.
We have been getting some decent draws lately, but now we have to turn those into wins if we are to achieve our objectives. Watford can cause us problems, and will be fresh after having a full week off to prepare for the fixture.
Come on you Blues!
Our Form: (L-W-D-D-D)
Chelsea come into this fixture off the back of three consecutive draws, and only one win in five. The draw at home to Burnley was simply unacceptable, and they are matches where we shouldn’t be dropping points, but earning a draw at Old Trafford and Frankfurt can give us a lot more optimism.
We cannot afford to drop any more points now until the rest of the season. In the next seven days, we have Watford, Frankurt and Leicester, and every game needs to be a victory. If we get top four, and reach the Europa League final – I’m a happy man.
Against Frankurt, I believed we showed a confidence and a resilience about us, and on another day, could have come out of that game with a lead. Eden Hazard was surprisingly dropped, but his exclusion just confirms that Sarri is perhaps prioritising getting top four.
If we put all of our eggs in the Europa League basket, and lose in the final, then it would be a disastrous end to the season if we missed top four by a point. I felt like we haven’t seen a perfect Chelsea performance for a while, so I am hoping we can put in a free-flowing and clinical showing on Sunday.
Our Opponents: (W-L-W-D-L)
Watford have been excellent for large parts of the season, and they have been rewarded with an FA Cup final appearance for their efforts. They have occupied 7th spot at times during the season, but dropping points at home to Southampton and then Wolves looks to have cost them that illusive spot.
Thankfully for them, they have a 2nd go at getting European qualification, if they were to win the final. Admittedly, they don’t stand much chance of beating Manchester City, but they have been excellent both in that competition, and in the Premier League.
Their main threats are Troy Deeney, who always plays with his heart on his sleeve, and Gerard Deulofeu who can occasionally turn into Lionel Messi. Our defence will be in for a tough afternoon.
Head to Head
In the reverse fixture back on Boxing Day, we won 2-1 at Vicarage Road with Eden Hazard getting two goals. That was a revenge victory, after we had been humiliated there under Antonio Conte, in a 4-1 loss last season.
At Stamford Bridge, we always get the job done against Watford. They haven’t beaten us at Stamford Bridge since 1986, and we have won seven of our last eight matches against them at home.
Team News
Chelsea will still be without duo Callum Hudson-Odoi and Antonio Rudiger, but thankfully no fresh injury news.
Watford have Sebastian Prodl and Domingos Quina sidelined, but otherwise can field a strong eleven, if they don’t choose to rest players.
Predictions
With Watford perhaps having one eye on their FA Cup final in a couple of weeks, it may give us the impetus to get a victory considering our desperate need for the points.
We play this match directly before Arsenal’s match with Brighton, so we cannot take chances and have to get a victory. I haven’t been overly confident going into a Chelsea match for quite some time, and yet I have an undercurrent of belief we can get the three points here.
Let’s hope that Eden Hazard can prove to be the difference again when these two sides meet. After all, this could be his last ever Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, so if that is the case,
I hope he bags a brace for us to get the victory. I was correct with my prediction against Frankfurt, so let’s hope I can get 2/2. Come on you Blues!
Predicted Score Line: Chelsea 2-0 Watford