Chelsea
can tighten their grip on the Premier League title with a win over Swansea
City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Antonio Conte's men are eight points clear at the top of the table on 60
points and are as short as 1/6 to win a fifth Premier League title.
An eight-point gap at the top of the Premier League after 25 games is the
biggest margin at this stage since Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United led
the league by nine points on their way to winning the title in 2013.
The only Premier League sides to have had 60 points or more after 25 games
and not gone on to win the title were Newcastle in 1996 (60 points) and
Arsenal in 2008 (60 points).
Former Chelsea assistant manager Paul Clement has had an immediate impact at
Swansea City, winning three of his five Premier League games to lift them
four points above the relegation zone.
Team news
David Luiz and Marcos Alonso could return to Chelsea's starting line-up for
Saturday's Premier League clash after the pair were rested for the FA Cup
win at Wolves.
However, John Terry and Cesc Fabregas could find themselves back among the
substitutes with the Blues otherwise reporting no injuries to their squad.
Swansea have club captain Leon Britton back from injury for the trip to
Stamford Bridge with January signings Luciano Narsingh and Jordan Ayew also
pushing to make their first starts.
In terms of absent players, Nathan Dyer (Achilles) is a long-term absentee
while Jefferson Montero (hamstring) remains sidelined, as does midfielder Ki
Sung-yueng, who has a knee injury.
Opta stats
After winning six of their first eight Premier League meetings with Swansea
(D2), Chelsea are winless in their last three against them (D2 L1).
Swansea's 2-2 draw on the opening day of the 2015-16 season was their first
Premier League point earned at Stamford Bridge.
The Swans have netted four goals in their last two league visits to Stamford
Bridge, the same number they had scored in their previous 10 games there
combined.
Diego Costa has scored seven goals in his four Premier League games against
Swansea, more than he has against any other side in the competition. This
includes a hat-trick in this exact fixture in September 2014.
Costa's rate of 1.75 goals per game against Swansea is the best of any
Chelsea against a particular opponent in Premier League history (minimum
four games against them).
Gylfi Sigurdsson has scored four Premier League goals against Chelsea, more
than he has against any other side (two for Swansea, two for Tottenham).
Sigurdsson has been involved in more Premier League goals than any
midfielder this season (16, eight goals and eight assists).
Paul Clement was assistant manager to Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea between
2009 and 2011. While there, Chelsea won 48 of 76 Premier League matches (D13
L15).
This could be Cesc Fabregas' 300th Premier League game, becoming the first
Spanish player to reach this milestone.
Swansea have taken 12 points from a possible 18 in 2017 (W4 D0 L2), one more
than Chelsea have (11).
After 25 games of the 2015-16 Premier League season, Chelsea (30) were just
three points ahead of Swansea City (27). At the same stage this season, the
Blues are 36 points ahead of the Swans in the league.
Merson's prediction
I don't see anything but a Chelsea win here. Swansea have been doing well
but it just puts extra pressure on the chasing pack with Chelsea playing on
Saturday.
I can see Swansea getting out of the relegation scrap. They will probably
try and stay in the game like they did against Manchester City and you never
know with a set-play. Whatever happens this weekend, Paul Clement has done a
great job.
MERSON PREDICTS: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
top