17:30 local time
Chelsea will look to continue a late charge to retain the English Premier League title with a win at home to West Ham on Saturday.
The defending champions looked out of contention after suffering their worst run of form in more than 10 years earlier this season.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti, who guided the club to a league and cup double last season, is still trying to get some positives out of this season.
But the west London side, second in the table, have a trip to league leaders Manchester United still to come and retain a slim hope of triumphing against all odds.
United are six points clear after drawing 0-0 against Newcastle on Tuesday.
Chelsea must aim to win every remaining match, including the showdown at Old Trafford on May 8, and hope United drop points, if they are to somehow keep the Premier League trophy at Stamford Bridge.
Ancelotti's side won their last fixture 3-1 at home to Birmingham City on Wednesday, with two goals from Florent Malouda and one from Saloman Kalou doing the damage.
West Ham come into the match on the back of three consecutive defeats and without a win in four matches.
They went down 2-1 at home to Aston Villa last time out.
The disappointing sequence of results has left the team second from bottom, two points off safety.
An Achilles problem threatens to rule out key West Ham midfielder Scott Parker for the trip to face his former side.
Hamstring issues mean Brazilian centre-back Alex and his midfield compatriot Ramires are in doubt for Chelsea.
Striker Fernando Torres, still without a goal following his 50-million pound transfer from Liverpool in January, was dropped against Birmingham, but may return to the starting line-up against West Ham if Carlo shakes things up.
West Ham are sinking lower and lower down the table and are considered one of the most likely to be relegated but sometimes that fear is all it takes to come up all guns blazing.
Us however need to make sure that we give it 100%. Ancelotti might again pick the same side as the last two matches will throw some people off but we have to remember that we need these vital points more than any individual performance.
*DO NOT THINK THIS IS ONE IS A WALK IN THE PARK*
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●Head-to-Head:
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Chelsea---------------------WHU
33------------Played----------33
64------------Points-----------32
19---------------Won----------7
7--------------Drawn----------11
7---------------Lost------------15
61------------Scored----------59
27------------Conceded------58
2 :D--------League Position--19
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●Recent Meetings:
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11-09-10 EPL West Ham 1 - 3 Chelsea
13-03-10 EPL Chelsea 4 - 1 West Ham
20-12-09 EPL West Ham 1 - 1 Chelsea
25-04-09 EPL West Ham 0 - 1 Chelsea
14-12-08 EPL Chelsea 1 - 1 West Ham
01-03-08 EPL West Ham 0 - 4 Chelsea
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●Form Guide:
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Chelsea: WWDWWW
WHU :WWDLLL
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●Recent Fixtures
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Chelsea
Chelsea - Birmingham 3 - 1
West Brom - Chelsea 1 - 3
Man Utd - Chelsea 2 - 1
Chelsea - Wigan 1 - 0
Chelsea - Man Utd 0 - 1
Stoke - Chelsea 1 - 1
West Ham United
1 - 2 West Ham - Aston Villa
3 - 0 Bolton - West Ham
2 - 4 West Ham - Man Utd
0 - 0 Tottenham - West Ham
2 - 1 Stoke - West Ham
3 - 0 West Ham - Stoke
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● Chelsea vs WHU facts
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• The Hammers’ last win came in May 2003, with their last victory at Stamford Bridge coming a year earlier in September 2002.
• In the last ten Premier League meetings between the two clubs, West Ham have failed to score more than one goal.
•Chelsea have won nine and lost none of their last 11 Premier League meetings with West Ham.
•The Blues have won their last seven straight home London derbies in the Premier League.
•The Hammers have won only one of their last 10 Premier League London derbies away from home.
•Didier Drogba has scored five goals in nine Premier League appearances against West Ham.
•The Hammers have won just two of their last 34 Premier League away games.
•Scott Parker has scored in his last two Premier League games against his former club but is unlikely to play.
•Florent Malouda has created more goalscoring chances than any other Premier league player this season, 100.
•Malouda is the third Chelsea player in three seasons to top 100 goalscoring chances created. No player from another team has done so in that period.
•Michael Essien averages 71.6 passes per game this season, more than any other player.
•West Ham have used the most players this season, 33, Chelsea the second-fewest, 24.
• Chelsea have won 100% of the fixtures where i have created the live discussion thread. ;)
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●Chelsea results analysis
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When looking at Chelsea home performance in league points, Chelsea’s performance is greatest when looking at opponents in the bottom 6 with an average of 3 points per game.
Chelsea Results – English Premier League
Matches Average Points Win Draw Loss
All matches (32) 1.91 18 7 7
All vs. top 6 (8) 1.25 3 1 4
All vs.mid 8 (13) 1.77 6 5 2
All vs. bottom 6 (11)2.55 9 1 1
Home (15) 2.33 11 2 2
Home vs. top 6 (4) 2.25 3 0 1
Home vs. mid 8 (6) 1.83 3 2 1
Home vs. bottom 6 (5) 3 5 0 0
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● What the scum are up to this week
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Sat 23rd April 2011
Man Utd v Everton 12:45
Liverpool v Birmingham 15:00
Tottenham v WBA 15:00
Sun 24th April 2011
Bolton v Arsenal 16:00
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My Team
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-----------------------Cech---------------------------
Ivanovic-------Luiz--------Terry-----------Cole--
---------------------Mikel-----------------------------
---------Yossi-----Lampard-----Malouda-----------
-------------Kalou----------Drogba-----------------
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