Chelsea vs Burnley - Premier League Preview and Odds

Published on: 09/08/2017

Chelsea vs Burnley - Premier League Preview and Odds

August 12, 2017 15:00pm - Stamford Bridge

Premier League

Chelsea will begin the defence of their Premier League crown with a home clash against last season`s 16th-ranked side Burnley.

The Blues kicked off their competitive campaign with a penalty shootout defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday. That was the second time that they had lost to Arsenal at Wembley in the last three months following their FA Cup final defeat back in May.

Antonio Conte has already added three significant signings to the ranks (Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger) and more could arrive before the transfer window closes. Meanwhile. Diego Costa is expected to be on his way out of the club very soon.

The Londoners had a poor pre-season, losing four of their five matches, the only win coming in a friendly match against Arsenal. However, they will still start as clear favourites for this match.

Meanwhile, Burnley will be hoping to improve on last season`s 16th place finish as they look to retain their top flight status for a second straight season. Sean Dyche`s men enjoyed a strong pre-season which culminated in a 2-1 win over Spanish side Celta de Vigo. In total, they won four and drew one of their five friendly clashes.

Centre-back Michael Keane has left for Everton in a £28m deal, in a move that could leave the Clarets weaker at the back. Meanwhile, Jack Cork has been brought in to the defensive midfield position and Jonathan Walters has been drafted in on the right-wing.

With the signings they have made so far, it is hard to see how Burnley have improved on last year. However, the stability of a long-term manager and a fairly settled squad could help their cause.

Recent form (all competitions)

Chelsea: LLLWL

Burnley: WDWWW

Betting odds and tips

Chelsea won this fixture 3-0 last year but it might be a bit closer this time. Burnley have had a good pre-season and have a very stable set-up under Sean Dyche, but they do find goals hard to come by - especially away from home. Meanwhile, Chelsea have had a busy summer with lots of travelling and are still integrating some of their new arrivals into their system. Expect a home win, but not by a huge margin.

You can back Chelsea to win to nil at 4/5 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris