West Ham v Chelsea, Saturday, March 1, 3pm (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

West Ham v Chelsea, Saturday, March 1, 3pm

2:16pm Friday 29th February 2008 in

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MATCH PREVIEW

LAST MEETING: Chelsea 1 West Ham 0 (Barclays Premier League, 01-12-07) LAST TIME AT UPTON PARK: West Ham 1 Chelsea 4 (Barclays Premier League, 18-04-07) HEAD-TO-HEAD: West Ham 36 wins, Chelsea 36 wins, 16 draws FORM: Chelsea wil be eager to get back into winning ways in the Premier League after having their previous good form broken up by two draws - against Portsmouth and Liverpool - and a run of cup competitions, including the 2-1 Carling Cup final defeat to Spurs on Sunday.

The Blues are currently nine points adrift of league leaders Arsenal, all-be-it with a game in hand, and will need to secure three points at Upton Park to keep up the pressure on the Gunners.

DANGER MAN: Didier Drogba (pictured) is one of the most feared forwards in the Premier League.

Despite reports that he is eager to leave the west London club, a knee injury and his involvement in the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, the powerful Ivorian forward has scored five league goals this season and has made many more for his team mates.

The 29-year-old has pace to burn and runs the Chelsea front line to perfection.

He also has the ability to role his marker and get a shot off in one fluid movement.

FUN FACT: Ex-Prime Minister John Major is a big Chelsea fan. So is food goddess Nigella Lawson, daughter of former Chancellor Nigel.

In 1989, Major nabbed her father's job when Lawson fell out of favour with then-PM Margaret Thatcher.

PREDICTION: West Ham 2 Chelsea 1