Chelsea v Norwich City predictions: Canaries can keep it respectable

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Chelsea v Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Chelsea to win 1-0
0.5pt 6-1 bet365, Betfred, Hills

Chelsea to win 2-0
0.5pt 5-1 bet365

Team news

Chelsea
Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku, injured against Malmo, are out. Christian Pulisic is a doubt.

Norwich
Christoph Zimmerman is out, Todd Cantwell, Sam Byram and Przemek Placheta are doubts. Billy Gilmour is ineligible.

Match preview

You have to go back to the middle of May for the last time Chelsea started a match without either Timo Werner or Romelu Lukaku, and that didn't end well, offering Norwich the hope that they can avoid a hammering at Stamford Bridge.

A front three of Pulisic, Mount and Havertz faced Arsenal on May 12, a match the Gunners won 1-0, while the on previous occasion when neither Werner nor Lukaku started – at home to Brighton a month earlier – the match ended 0-0.

Last season, of the last ten Chelsea games in which Thomas Tuchel did not start Werner (nor, obviously, summer signing Lukaku) they failed to score in seven.

Before we draw the briskest of conclusions and bet against goals, punters will have clocked that most of the sides played in that sequence were appreciably better than Norwich, who are bottom of the Premier League and heading to London without a win to their name.

Indeed, they've scored only two goals in total while Chelsea have leaked just three. These are clubs the length of a table apart and with very different ambitions.

But without Werner, despite the criticism he attracts for missing too many chances, and without Lukaku, even though he hasn't scored in seven, Chelsea are less potent and while they really should eventually overpower a limited Canaries side, don't bet on a battering.

There's precious little value to be found in the Blue half of the market in a match where Tuchel's table-toppers are around the 1-5 mark. Even penalty-taking midfielder Jorginho's first-scorer odds are plenty thin enough and he's not even guaranteed a start given Tuchel's options in that area.

Norwich clearly struggle for goals, Chelsea might do as well since the visitors have at least sorted out their defence, so take a 1-0 or 2-0 correct-score punt on the hosts.

The win-to-nil element of those selections are common sense. Seven of Chelsea's eight wins this term have been to nil while Daniel Farke's men have not scored in six of their eight top-flight assignments including each of their last three.

Back-to-back 0-0 draws at Burnley and at home to Brighton have at least got them on the board and demonstrated they can be more organised.

Brentford gave Chelsea a tough workout last weekend to no avail yet it's doubtful that Norwich have the appetite to go toe to toe with the Blues, especially away from home.

Key stat

Norwich have not won a half, never mind a game, in any of their last 18 Premier League matches.

Inside info

Chelsea

Penalty taker Jorginho
Free-kick wizard Mason Mount
Set-piece aerial threat Antonio Rudiger
Card magnet Jorginho

Norwich

Penalty taker Teemu Pukki
Free-kick wizard Mathias Normann
Set-piece aerial threat Grant Hanley
Card magnet Max Aarons

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