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Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson has predicted Chelsea to beat Fulham 2-1 in their upcoming Premier League fixture at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, January 13.
Mauricio Pochettino and Co. have been lacklustre this season in the Premier League, winning eight games, drawing four, and losing eight. They are currently languishing in 10th place in the table with only 28 points from 20 games, 17 behind leaders Liverpool.
The Blues had made some progress towards the end of December, winning three games in a row across all competitions. However, their momentum was hindered after a 1-0 loss at the hands of Middlesbrough in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final (January 9).
Chelsea will be aiming to get back to winning ways. They are unbeaten in their last 18 home league games against Fulham, winning 11 games, and drawing seven, with their last loss coming in October 1979. The Cottagers are currently 13th in the table with 24 points.
Lawrenson made his prediction for the upcoming clash, writing (via Paddy Power News):
"I’m going to go for Chelsea to win this. They’ve just started, very slowly, to make progress. They’re inching forward and are starting to look a little bit better. I’m pretty sure that Mauricio Pochettino now knows what his best team is. It’s taken half a season because they’ve got so many players but it’s coming together."
Lawrenson's Prediction: 2-1
Benfica reject Chelsea's £52M bid for 20-year-old star: Reports
According to A Bola (as per Football London), Benfica have turned down Chelsea's £52 million bid to sign centre-back Antonio Silva.
The 20-year-old came up through the Benfica academy between 2016 and 2022, before making his senior debut for the club at the start of the 2022-23 campaign. Silva is a physical, right-footed centre-back who is capable of playing on both sides of the defense. He is also renowned for his accurate tackling, positional sense and distribution.
The Portugal international agreed to a contract extension last year that would keep him at Benfica until 2027. His release clause is reported to be £86 million - a fee Benfica are holding out for.
It is currently unclear if the Blues will attempt to sign Silva again in the January transfer window. He has impressed this season, scoring one goal in 25 appearances across all competitions.
