Stats and info for Saturday's trip to the Blues (ko 3pm)
All-time results record (League, FA Cup and League Cup)PLD | W | D | L | F | A | GD | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HOME | 63 | 25 | 16
| 22 | 102 | 75 | 27 |
AWAY | 63 | 17 | 16 | 30 | 83 | 125 | -42 |
NEUTRAL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 |
TOTAL | 128 | 42 | 33 | 53 | 186 | 205 | -19 |
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.
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
Yossi Benayoun (ankle) and Oriol Romeu (knee) are Rafa Benitez's only absentees.
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
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.
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.
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