Chelsea will look to preserve their strong start to the Premier League season when they welcome newly promoted Hull City to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
The meeting will be the first between the two sides in the top flight since January 2017, when Chelsea secured a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge courtesy of goals from Diego Costa and Gary Cahill. The Blues went on to lift the Premier League title later that season under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea enter this weekend’s fixture looking to respond after suffering their first defeat under Xabi Alonso last weekend. The Blues were beaten 2-1 by defending Premier League champions Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, ending Alonso’s unbeaten start to his reign in the league.
However, Chelsea quickly restored confidence with a dramatic midweek victory over Leeds United in the EFL Cup.
The West London club appeared to be heading towards another disappointing result after being booed off by the Stamford Bridge supporters at half-time while trailing 2-0. Alonso’s substitutions, however, completely changed the contest.
Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto were introduced and helped inspire a remarkable turnaround as Chelsea eventually stormed to a 6-3 victory and secured their place in the fourth round of the competition.
Hull have made an exceptional return to the top flight and are currently the only team across the top four tiers of English football yet to concede a league goal this season.
The Tigers have collected seven points from their opening three matches, making an unbeaten start that has immediately caught attention.
Their campaign began with an impressive 2-0 victory over Manchester United before they followed it up with another clean-sheet win, beating Coventry City 1-0.
That result ensured Hull maintained their unbeaten record while extending their remarkable defensive run.
Chelsea will therefore face a Hull side that has already demonstrated its ability to frustrate opponents and remain disciplined at the back. The Blues, meanwhile, will be hoping the attacking momentum generated by their comeback against Leeds carries into Saturday’s Premier League clash.
Team News
Chelsea pair Jordan Henderson (wrist) and Emmanuel Emegha (muscle) are still recovering from injuries, while Moises Caicedo and Marco Palestra remain doubtful with unspecified issues.
As for Hull, Ilyas Ansah (back), Jack Butland (shoulder), Elliot Matazo (knee), Darko Gyabi (thigh), Charlie Hughes and Hidemasa Morita (both groin) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Tim Iroegbunam (groin), Brooke Norton-Cuffy (calf) and Paddy McNair (foot) will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Possible Lineups
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Acheampong, Lacroix, Colwill; Neto, James, Lavia, Hato; Rogers, Palmer; Pedro
Hull City possible starting lineup:
Tzolakis; Ajayi, Egan, Mendy; Coyle, Slater, Gourna-Douath, Giles; Belloumi, Stroud; McBurnie
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 3:00pm (WAT) |
Match Predictions
Softfootball predicts Chelsea 3-2 Hull City
