Chelsea face off Fulham in a London derby on March 1st (7:00 AM Pacific, 15:00 GMT) at Craven Cottage. The match is between the league’s top and bottom clubs. A classic David and Goliath battle can prove to be unpredictable. Can Chelsea continue their successful run, or can Fulham break out of their losing rut?
Chelsea suffered a disappointing draw midweek against Turkish side Galatasaray. A reunion with Chelsea legend Didier Drogba yielded a 1-1 draw. Galatasaray are one of the weaker remaining clubs in the Champions League, and Chelsea were expected to display more quality. This quality will surely come out against Fulham.
Fulham have recently shown a possible change in form. Their last game was against West Bromwich Albion, that game resulted in a 1-1 draw. More impressively, the side was able to tie Manchester United three weeks ago and score two goals against a rampant Liverpool side.
Mourinho and owner Abramovich must be disappointed in their squad’s performance. One of the best teams in the world on paper always seems to put out an unpredictable and inconsistent performance.
New Fulham manager Felix Magath is hoping to keep his team afloat in the Premier League. Avoiding relegation this season would be a success in his books. If Fulham can scrape away just one point from this game it would be enormous.
Key Players:
The key player for Chelsea will be Gary Cahill. Rarely slipping up this season, he is one of the most consistent players at Chelsea and will have to continue his streak of good form to keep Fulham from scoring.
The key player for Fulham is Maarten Stecklenburg. He will undoubtedly have many shots on his goal. Some will be easier to block than others, and if he can stop the easy shots, Fulham may have a chance. Steve Sidwell and Scott Parker will play a role in the pace of the game as well.
Felix Magath will be managing his first game at home for Fulham and has high hopes against Chelsea. Mourinho will be looking to thwart Magath’s hopes in search for three more points in the title race.
Fulham vs Chelsea Prediction
For both teams, this game is a race. For Chelsea it is for a chance to secure the title. For Fulham, it’s race to avoid relegation. Chelsea will come out on top in this one, I predict a 4-0 victory for the Blues. Neither team will hold back, and it has been proven in recent seasons that goal difference certainly makes a difference in the title race.
Fulham vs Chelsea Television
The match will be televised on NBC Sports Network (USA), check LiveSoccerTV for all other countries.
Possible Chelsea Lineup
Click here for a full analysis of Chelsea’s Possible Leinup
