West Bromwich Albion vs Chelsea Preview: How to Watch on TV, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

24 September 2020 13:30

Newly promoted West Bromwich Albion welcome free-spending Chelsea side to the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.

The weekend's fixture is already West Brom's fifth game of a season which started less than two weeks ago, thanks to their Carabao Cup obligations. Although, that run ended on Tuesday night after losing to Championship side Brentford via a penalty shootout.

Chelsea enjoyed a contrasting evening in the EFL Cup in midweek, swatting aside second-tier Barnsley with a 6-0 win. However, perhaps most ominous of all, £72m signing Kai Havertz netted his first goals for his new side with a maiden hat-trick in senior club football.

Where to Watch on TV

When Is Kick Off? Saturday 26 September
What Time Is Kick Off? 17:30 (BST)
Where Is it Being Played? The Hawthorns
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League (UK), NBC (US), DAZN (Europe)
Referee? Jonathan Moss

Team News

Slaven Bilic will be without the suspended Kieran Gibbs after the former Arsenal man saw red mist in the 5-2 defeat to Everton last weekend. Centre-back Ahmed Hegazi and striker Kenneth Zohore are unlikely to feature through injury while Kamil Grosicki is a doubt.

Chelsea were able to hand debuts to Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell on Wednesday, easing them back from injury with less than 90 minutes for each. However, fellow summer signing Hakim Ziyech is not expected to return until October after picking up a knee injury in a preseason friendly. Billy Gilmour is also predicted for a return next month.

Andreas Christensen is available after serving his one-match suspension in midweek though Christian Pulisic is a minor doubt as he gradually recovers from a thigh injury.

Predicted Lineups

West Brom: Johnstone; Ajayi, Bartley, O'Shea; Furlong, Sawyers, Livermore, Townsend; Pereira, Robinson, Diangana

Chelsea: Kepa; James, Silva, Zouma, Chilwell; Kanté, Jorginho, Kovacic; Mount, Havertz, Werner

Recent Form

West Brom haven't enjoyed the best of starts to the 2020/21 campaign. Their four matches so far have produced just one victory; in the second round of the EFL Cup against Harrogate Town - a side which, as recently as August, were outside the Football League.

However, the Baggies have shown glimmers of promise in their Premier League encounters against Leicester City and Everton whenever the electric talents of Grady Diangana and Matheus Pereira have gotten on the ball.

Chelsea's summer splurge not only provided Frank Lampard with a wealth of (mostly attacking) talents to choose from, but also brought the pressure of mounting of a genuine title challenge. The Blues began this season of great expectation with a stuttering win against Brighton followed by a convincing defeat at home to Liverpool.

Here's how each side has fared in their last five outings.

West Brom

West Brom 2-2 (6-7) Brentford (22/9)
Everton 5-2 West Brom (19/9)
West Brom 3-0 Harrogate Town (16/9)
West Brom 0-3 Leicester City (13/9)
West Brom 2-2 Queens Park Rangers (22/7)

Chelsea

Chelsea 6-0 Barnsley (23/9)
Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool (20/9)
Brighton 1-3 Chelsea (14/9)
Bayern Munich 4-1 Chelsea (8/8)
Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea (1/8)

Prediction

While West Brom's wide forwards have offered hints of an attacking threat, Bilic's side have looked worryingly open at the back, despite the shift to a three-man defence.

Chelsea possess all the forward talent one would want to take advantage of a backline which has conceded eight goals in their opening two league games but Lampard - understandably - is yet to see his attack click in their minimal top flight outings together.

However, even if Chelsea's frontline isn't as cohesive as it will surely be after several months playing together, the freshly stocked Blues should have enough individual quality to overcome a side bolstered by few new faces.

Prediction: West Brom 1-3 Chelsea

Source: 90min