Chelsea vs Burnley tips and predictions: European ambitions meet Premier League survival dreams
- Seb Sternik
- 26 March 2024
Chelsea welcome Burnley to Stamford Bridge this Saturday afternoon for a pivotal Premier League clash (1500 GMT).
At first viewing, this my look like a relatively unimpressive fixture.
You have a very average Chelsea side sitting in mid-table, taking on a Burnley side who are bound for relegation. It's not exactly a classic in the making.
However, as we began delving deeper into this encounter, our eyes began to open. Believe it or not, but the stakes in this fixture are huge. Let’s begin with Chelsea.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men are currently 11th in the standings, but a win on Saturday could take them within two points of seventh-placed West Ham. That is Europa Conference League territory.
The Blues are unbeaten in four Premier League matches and have lost just one of their last eight outings across all competitions.
Burnley, on the other hand, could turn dreams of Premier League survival into a realistic aspiration with a win at the Bridge.
The Clarets were written off at the start of March when they suffered their 20th Premier League defeat from 27 games.
However, since their 2-0 loss to Bournemouth, Vincent Kompany’s side drew 2-2 with West Ham and picked up a 2-1 victory over Brentford.
During the international break, Nottingham Forest were handed a points deduction, leaving Burnley just five points adrift from safety.
Five points may not sound like much, but with nine games of the season remaining, Burnley have no time to waste.
The trouble is, their record against Chelsea is truly awful. Burnley are winless against the Blues in their last 10 meetings – losing eight of those matches.
With that in mind, we’re backing Pochettino’s men to enhance their European ambitions with a home win. Chelsea to win and both teams to score is the way to go.
Team news
Chelsea remain without Wesley Fofana and Reece James. There are also doubts over Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer.
Burnley also face injury problems. Aaron Ramsey and Nathan Redmond are long-term absentees. Luca Koleosho and David Fofana are also out of action. Ameen Al-Dakhil and Jordan Beyer are both doubts.
Key stats
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last eight matches across all competitions
- Burnley have the second worst defensive record in the Premier League
- Chelsea are looking for their fourth straight win at Stamford Bridge across all competitions
- Burnley have lost five of their last six away matches in all competitions
