Chelsea can throw their hats in the top 8 ring with a win over Fulham on Saturday, it's a chance they cannot afford to miss. (Photo credit: GOAL)

 

Chelsea vs. Fulham

Stamford Bridge Stadium

1:30pm

It’s a strange game week in the English Premier League; ten games will be played over eleven days, and it’s going to test our patience, but we’ll take this over no-league football.

Burnley once again had to cry to VAR as Luton grabbed a contentious late goal at Turf Moor on Friday night, but right here, the Lilywhites are off to their neighbors Chelsea in search of the scalp of another top Premier League side.

Fulham beat Arsenal 2-1 in their last game of 2023 and also got one over lower league side Rotherham in the FA Cup, but they had to put all that behind them in search of what would be their first cup final appearance in decades if they could beat Liverpool in the second leg of the Carabao Cup final next week.

Chelsea’s season has been filled with ups and downs. The Blues are in a good place in the Carabao Cup despite losing the first leg of their semifinal clash against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in midweek, with all to play for at home in the second leg.

Chelsea won three back-to-back games for the first time this season with the 4-0 annihilation of Preston North End in the FA Cup 5^th round last weekend before losing to Boro in the League Cup. They will hope to pick things up against Fulham on Saturday.

Fulham lost 2-1 to Liverpool, having opened scoring in the League Cup semifinal first leg at Anfield, but didn’t have what it takes to shut Liverpool out for the entirety of the game. If you can score at Anfield, you can score anywhere; they can dare to dream.

It’s one game at a time; both Fulham and Chelsea will have to put their Carabao Cup ambitions aside in search of vital three points here. The Blues need to break into European conversations via league standings; they must win this game.

Fulham has a host of players away on international duty but should have enough to prosecute this fixture professionally. They can draw inspiration from their solid display against Arsenal, but when they get their chances, they can’t afford to pass up on them.

Chelsea’s injury woes continue to blight their season, but a few players are back in training and could start featuring soon. Chelsea will once again rely on Cole Palmer to bail them out, and opponents may start canceling the former City man in a bid to stop Chelsea.

Verdict: Chelsea to win