Chelsea vs Fulham Predictions

• Fulham have drawn four of their last five games
• Five of the last six head-to-heads have gone under 2.5 goals
• Cole Palmer has scored 11 league goals this season

Both teams come from a stalemate

Just two miles separates Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage and it will be Fulham making the short journey to take on their west London rivals on Boxing Day.

Both teams have had impressive campaigns, with the Blues four points behind top-of-the-table Liverpool in second place and the Cottagers in the top half after losing just four of their 17 Premier League matches this term.

The pair come into this clash on the back of a goalless draw apiece, with Chelsea held by Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday and Fulham failing to break down Southampton at home last time out.

Goals have not typically been an issue for Enzo Maresca’s side this season, with 37 scored they are the second-highest scorers behind Tottenham and their failure to get the better of the Toffees was more of an endorsement of the recent defensive strength of Sean Dyche’s side.

Fulham will have been disappointed not to get the better of a Southampton team that have one of the worst defensive records in the division but the Saints have improved under caretaker boss Simon Rusk and put in a solid performance.

Stalemate on the cards

Derby clashes between Chelsea and Fulham have typically been low-scoring affairs, with five of the last six head-to-heads going under 2.5 goals.

The Blues won both meetings last season but Fulham look like a much more balanced team and have a deeper squad this time around and could make life difficult for the hosts.

A shock 4-1 defeat at home to Wolves is the away team’s only defeat in their last nine outings and they have held Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool to stalemates in that run.

With Liverpool playing so impressively at the top of the table, Chelsea need to secure every point that they can if they are to have any chance of winning the title but their rivals may be a big stumbling block.

The Cottagers could welcome Andreas Pereira and Emile Smith Rowe back to the side following their absences through suspension and injury respectively and that could provide the creative impetus that they lacked at times against Southampton.

They will have to be at the top of their game to get a point away to Chelsea, who have been one of the best teams in the Premier League this season, but they are fancied to do so in what should be an enthralling derby affair.

With games between these two typically being cagey affairs, take a 1-1 correct score pick.

Cole Palmer has 11 league goals and is the Blues’ penalty taker so looks a solid anytime goalscorer bet.

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