West Brom host the Champions on Monday night and will hope to extend their unbeaten run to five games. The Baggies are in 13th place but are hot on the tails of both Everton and Crystal Palace, who sit in 11th and 12th respectively.
Joleon Lescott has had an outstanding season for West Brom. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index highlights this, with the Englishman having won 50 successful tackles as well as making 202 clearances. In addition, Lescott has made the fifth most interceptions in the division with 79.
The Baggies will be looking to midfielder Craig Gardner to ensure that they get a foothold in the battle in the centre of the park. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index can reveal that he has won 93 tackles so far this season, the eighth most in the division. He has also made 55 clearances, 55 interceptions and 9 blocks.
Up top, Saido Berahino will be hoping for a strong finish to what has been a fairly prolific season. The English youngster has featured in every game for West Brom this campaign and has scored twelve goals, and with 35 shots on target, 53.8% of his total shots, he is likely to provide the main threat to Chelsea. He is 5/2 to score anytime with 888sport.com.
Chelsea come in to this game as Champions and are likely to see it as a game where they can give game time to some fringe players, as well as blooding some youngsters such as Izzy Brown and Nathan Ake, after Jose Mourinho handed Ruben Loftus-Cheek his full first team debut last week. 888sport.com are offering 3/1 for two or more players to make their first team debuts for Chelsea this Monday.
Loftus-Cheek made a very impressive start to his Chelsea career last weekend, and in the hour of football that he played, he completed 100% (27/27) of his passes successfully. Loftus-Cheek played a very disciplined game, tasked with staying in his own half and tracking Phillipe Coutinho, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index indicates this, with only five of his passes occurring in the opposition half.
Another player who helped contain Liverpool’s attacking midfielders was John Obi Mikel. The Nigerian made the second most tackles in the Barclays Premier League (6) last weekend behind Liverpool’s Emre Can, who made seven tackles. Mikel is likely to partner Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the midfield against West Brom.
John Terry scored Chelsea’s only goal last weekend and in turn became the Premier League’s all-time top goalscoring defender with 39 goals. But it is Terry’s defensive prowess that has attracted so much attention this season. Terry has made 30 blocks, 28 interceptions and 209 clearances this campaign and is the highest ranked defender according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Can Albion upset the Champions? Have your say at Baggies Banter.