Chelsea vs. West Ham: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Premier League leaders Chelsea will host West Ham United on Boxing Day, the second of four matches in 11 days for Jose Mourinho's men and a chance for the Hammers to prove their hot start to the 2014-15 season hasn't been a fluke.
The visitors sit an impressive fourth in the standings, having won four of their last five fixtures since losing at Everton late in November.
The Blues hold a hefty lead over West Ham, but after last year's controversial 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge between these two teams, Mourinho will not be taking the Hammers lightly.
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Date: Friday, December 26
Time: 12.45 p.m. GMT/7:45 a.m. ET
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
TV info and live stream: The match will be broadcast on Sky Sports 1 (for UK viewers) and NBCSN (for U.S. viewers), with mobile coverage available via the Sky Go app and NBC Sports Live Extra.
Preview
Many saw West Ham United as possible relegation candidates coming into the season, but Sam Allardyce's squad has defied all expectations in 2014-15, playing attractive, attacking football and holding their own against the top sides in the Premier League.
Like Chelsea, West Ham will come into this fixture on the back of a 2-0 win, beating Leicester City on Saturday. The Hammers haven't lost in five consecutive matches, and star defender Winston Reid thinks his side is ready to take on big boys Chelsea and Arsenal, as he told the club's official website:
"When we've played the bigger teams this year we've always given it a good go and I'm sure the next couple won't be any different. It's always going to be tough playing against those two teams, there's no doubt about it. But we've done ever so well up until now and so we're going to try our best to make sure it continues.
It depends how the game pans out really. Obviously it's going to be a tough game. We'll set up a foundation and adopt a tactic for the game. It's not going to be easy but we're not going to go there and be afraid. We'll do our best and see how far it can take us.
"
Last season West Ham battled to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, prompting Mourinho to comment on the Hammers' "19th century" tactics, as reported by BBC Sport. Things might be different this season, however.
Like Chelsea, the Hammers boast one of the most proficient attacking units in the Premier League, and they're doing it by sharing the ball, per Squawka Football:
One of Chelsea's top attacking threats is a question mark for this match, as Eden Hazard left the pitch against Stoke City on Monday with an apparent ankle injury. Mourinho doesn't think it should cause him to miss the match, however, as shared by ESPN FC's Ben Dinnery:
The Blues had to scratch and claw their way to a deserved 2-0 win on Monday, and for the first time this season, a team was able to put real pressure on star midfielder Nemanja Matic, forcing him into a handful of mistakes.
The Serb has been the unsung hero in Chelsea's midfield, playing a pivotal role in front of the defence. He'll be tasked with guarding the duo of Alex Song and Stewart Downing, who have both been consistently excellent this season.
For the Blues, Friday's match will simply come down to continuing their momentum. As shared by Football_Tweet, history indicates they're right on track for the Premier League title:
With Cesc Fabregas pulling the strings and the duo of Hazard and Diego Costa finding the net with regularity, Chelsea should find success against a defence that has allowed at least one goal in all but four matches this season.
Fans are praying this match will be a lot more exciting than last year's clash at the Bridge, and looking at the offensive mindset of both teams coming into this fixture, that should be the case.
Final prediction: Chelsea 3-1 West Ham United
