Chelsea face the two Manchester clubs next in the Premier League. They also take on Leeds in an FA Cup semi-final later this month.
| Chelsea markets | Odds |
|---|---|
| Man City to beat Chelsea | 2.10 |
| Chelsea vs Man Utd - Over 3.5 goals | 2.30 |
| Chelsea vs Leeds - Both teams to score | 1.75 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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Players speak out during uncertain times at Stamford Bridge
Rosenior’s reign started with a run of six wins from seven matches across all competitions. The ex-Strasbourg boss got the initial reaction he had been looking for after replacing Enzo Maresca. A 3-2 away victory over Napoli even saw the Londoners secure direct entry into the Champions League Round of 16.
However, after an initial honeymoon period, fans and players alike are now questioning the 41-year-old. Chelsea were outclassed by PSG in an 8-2 aggregate defeat in Europe. They’ve also suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats to Newcastle and Everton.
The main issues are at the back. Excluding FA Cup ties against lower-league opponents, Chelsea have gone 13 matches without a clean sheet. Prior to their 7-0 weekend win over League One strugglers Port Vale, they had conceded 12 times across four matches.
Ominously for Rosenior, the first rumblings of squad disharmony are also starting to creep out. Enzo Fernandez has been banned for two games by his boss after comments regarding a potential move to Madrid. That bold call could backfire, given his team are involved in a close fight for a top-five finish.
There were also telling remarks from full-back Marc Cucurella during the international break. He was openly critical of the club’s decision to part ways with Maresca in January. While reluctant to directly criticise Rosenior, the Spaniard clearly pointed at more stability and clarity under the old regime.
Will Chelsea continue to leak goals?
Prior to the Port Vale match, Chelsea had gone four without a victory at Stamford Bridge. Even strugglers Leeds and Burnley picked up results in West London during that period. There have already been six home defeats this season in all competitions for the Blues.
That doesn’t bode well heading into a clash with Man City, who need to win to maintain their title hopes. Pep Guardiola’s team take momentum into the clash after two fantastic results.
They beat Arsenal 2-0 in the EFL Cup final before cruising past Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup. With no more European distractions, City have no reason not to field their strongest XI against Chelsea. The visitors are good value to win the game, with an implied probability of 47.6%.
What follows is a showdown with fellow top-five hopefuls Man Utd. It will likely serve up goals.
For all their defensive flaws, Chelsea’s xG tally of 59.3 is the best in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Man Utd rank third, with 53.2 xG. The Red Devils have scored at least once in all of their last 20 matches in all competitions.
Over 3.5 goals has been a winning bet in 60% of Blues’ matches since the appointment of Rosenior. Backing a repeat when Michael Carrick’s side come calling could be the smart move.
It’s also just a 20% clean sheet rate for Chelsea under Rosenior. That points to value in backing both teams to score when they take on Leeds in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The two clubs have already played out two entertaining matches this season. Leeds were 3-1 winners at Elland Road in December, while the reverse fixture ended 2-2 in February. There were seven big chances and a total of 4.57 xG in the most recent clash.