Cardiff City vs Chelsea 31/03/19

31 March 2019

Cardiff City put their Premier League status on the line against Chelsea at the Cardiff City Stadium looking to secure their elusive first points against the PL top-six teams this term.

The hosts have suffered all eight defeats in H2Hs with the league’s elite clubs, including a 4-1 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the first half of the season. Sitting two points adrift of the PL safety, the returnees hope to post back-to-back league wins for the second time this season as they come into this meeting off the back of a 2-0 home win over West Ham United. Far more comfortable at home, the Bluebirds have secured 71.43% of their total points in front of the local supporters. Although Cardiff’s tally of 27 goals scored in 30 PL fixtures remains the league’s second-lowest, Neil Warnock’s men have surprisingly scored 2+ match goals in five of six PL home triumphs. Still, only two teams have conceded more goals than Cardiff (57) this term, with the Bluebirds keeping only eight clean sheets in 30 league outings so far.

Meanwhile, the visitors are enduring the most challenging period in the ongoing campaign having failed to pick up all three points in three of their last five PL games (W2, D1, L2). Sitting sixth with a three-point deficit to fourth-placed Arsenal, the Blues are obliged to achieve a victory here although their recent road form indicates it won’t be a routine task. Maurizio Sarri’s players have clinched barely one triumph in five of their previous PL road clashes (W1, L4), with all four of their defeats in that period saw them failed to find the back of the net. But, the Pensioners have been ruthless against the bottom-three teams this campaign, securing all four wins with a stunning +11 goal difference (S13, C2).