By User:Anthony Winward, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50559911
Middlesbrough sandwiched their first home victory of the season against Bournemouth with credible draws at Arsenal and then Man City a fortnight ago. They have proven to be a tough side to break down, with only one of their four defeats this season by a margin of more than a single goal, whilst they’ve yielded just one first-half goal in their last five and that was at the Etihad.
Chelsea are running riot at the moment and it’s now five wins on the bounce, all to clean sheets and scoring 16 themselves as the likes of Diego Costa, Pedro and in particular Eden Hazard have hit top form. This new found resilience at the back could be an issue for Boro who, despite being a well organised side, have lacked creativity going forward with just seven in their last nine top-flight fixtures.
Given how well Chelsea are playing at the moment, it’s difficult to see how Middleborough can prevent defeat here. If the hosts do go a goal down they may struggle to get back into the game, making a Chelsea win to nil the sensible option.
Best Bet: Chelsea Win to Nil at 2.37
