Game Week 21 Predictions: Chelsea to beat Fulham

Chelsea begins life with Liam Rosenior in the stands with this trip. What will his reign look like? (Photo credit: Opta)  Fulham vs Liverpoo...

Chelsea begins life with Liam Rosenior in the stands with this trip. What will his reign look like? (Photo credit: Opta)

 Fulham vs Liverpool

Craven Cottage

8:30pm

It’s a weird season in the English Premier League. One win could see a team climbing so high, and the reverse can plummet a team to despicable lows. What a season we’re having.

Chelsea announced the signing of Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior as their new head coach following the departure of Italian manager Enzo Maresca. Although this fixture comes too soon for the former Brighton defender, he is expected to be in the stands for the game.

Chelsea currently sits fifth on the log, but they will take lots of positives from the 1-1 draw away at the Etihad; the first half of the game at the weekend against the Cityzens clearly shows where the team is. However, the second half brought promises of where they can be in the near future.

Fulham is also heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 1-1 draw against the reigning champions at Craven Cottage. When Cody Gakpo scored what seemed to be the winner, not anyone expected Harrison Reed to send the stadium into delirium like he did; it was a scene at Craven Cottage.

What this means for both sides is that the Blues are still seeking an opportunity to sneak into the top four; they’re currently three points off that goal, while a win here could take Fulham as high as sixth, which would put them level on points with Chelsea. It’s a weird season.

Fulham is unbeaten in four games, a run that includes two back-to-back wins and draws, while Chelsea remains without a win in their last four games, a run that features three draws and a loss. The two sides can be better, but on paper, the Lilywhites are in a better place.

Many Chelsea players have lost their momentum, which underscores the need for experienced players in the dressing room. The kids are tired and need some guidance; how will this January window address that for Chelsea? Discipline is another issue that needs to be addressed by Chelsea; Liam Rosenior has work to do.

For Fulham, they need to improve their squad too. AFCON took three of their best players, and as Nigeria continues to impress at the tournament, they might not have any of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze back until later in the month.

Cole Palmer is expected to finally come full circle after his recent injury. Moises Caicedo will be back, and Joao Pedro is expected to return to form. Fulham will set up to use the pace of Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez’ stoic nature. This will be fun to watch.

Verdict: Chelsea to win.