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MATCH PREVIEW: Chelsea v Albion

PUBLISHED

10:50 1st March 2013

Stats and info for Saturday's trip to the Blues (ko 3pm)

All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)


PLDWDLFAGD
HOME
63
25
 16 
2210275

27 

AWAY6317163083125

-42 

NEUTRAL201115
-4

TOTAL128423353186205

-19 


Interesting facts

Albion have not won three successive league games against Chelsea since 1957. Goals from Ronnie Allen, Bobby Robson and Derek Kevan, who fired a brace, helped Vic Buckingham's outfit to a 4-2 victory at Stamford Bridge in the third of those victories.

The Baggies won 40, drew 33 and lost 42 of their meetings with the Blues prior to the inception of the Premier League in 1992.

Albion last triumphed at Stamford Bridge in the league when Ron Atkinson's side secured a 3-1 victory in September 1978, with Cyrille Regis, John Wile and Tony Brown on the scoresheet.

Romelu Lukaku, who has scored 12 Barclays Premier League during his loan spell at The Hawthorns this term, is ineligible to play against his parent club.

Steve Clarke's side are only one victory away from equalling the club's highest Barclays Premier League win total of 13, earned by Roy Hodgson's outfit last season.   

Albion's current points total of 40 is 14 more than they earned in the entirety of their first Premier League season ten years ago (26). The Baggies are also five points better off than they were at this stage last term.  

Last time out

HOME: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, November 17, 2012, Albion 2 (Long 10, Odemwingie 50) Chelsea 1 (Hazard 39)
AWAY: Barclays Premier League, Saturday, August 20, 2011, Chelsea 2 (Anelka 53, Malouda 83) Albion 1 (Long 4)

Form guide (last six league matches)

ALBION: LDLLWW
CHELSEA: DWDLWL

Last league match line-ups

ALBION (v Sunderland – home W 2-1): Foster; Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell; Morrison (Fortune 84), Yacob, Mulumbu, Brunt; Long (Dorrans 66), Lukaku (Odemwingie 87). Subs not used: Myhill (gk); Jones, Tamas, Rosenberg. 

CHELSEA (v Man City - away L 2-0): Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole; Mikel (Torres 81), Lampard (Oscar 68); Ramires, Mata, Hazard (Moses 68); Ba. Subs not used: Turnbull (gk); Terry, Azpilicueta, Bertrand.

Last cup match line-ups

CHELSEA (v Middlesbrough - away W 0-2): Cech; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Bertrand; Ake, Ramires; Moses (Luiz 76), Oscar (Marin 79), Benayoun (Hazard 58); Torres. Subs not used: Turnbull (gk); Cole, Lampard, Ba.  

Chelsea team news

Rafa Benitez was without Gary Cahill (illness) and Cesar Azpilicueta (leg) for the 2-0 win at Middlesbrough on Wednesday, while Oriol Romeu (knee) is a long-term absentee. 

Ref watch

Kevin Friend will referee tomorrow's game. The Leicestershire official last oversaw Albion in January's 3-2 Barclays Premier League defeat at Reading. He has dished out 75 yellow and two red cards this season. 

Betting

Selected odds from Bet Butler: 
Albion to win: 8/1 
Chelsea to win: 2/5 
Draw: 19/5 

Shane Long to score first: 11/1
Fernando Torres to score first: 4/1 

If you fancy a flutter with the club's official online betting partner, click here. 

Tickets

Tickets are no longer on sale to away supporters and fans who do not have a seat for this game are urged not to travel to Stamford Bridge. 

Listen to live match commentary on Albion Player

Can't get to Stamford Bridge? Tune in to Albion Player's live, full-match commentary from 2pm. To sign up and listen click here. 

Follow our live matchday blog

Keep up to speed with all the matchday action and interact with fellow fans on our FREE blog from 2pm. 

So, if you can't make it to the game, click here to join in the fun, and post your comments? 

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