The Stamford Bridge will host Chelsea taking on Preston North End in Round 3 of the English FA Cup. This is their first meeting in the Cup after 2010 and Chelsea will be hoping to replicate a 2-0 win back in 2010. Sit back and relax as we and the AI predict the winner of this game at the end of 90 minutes.
Chelsea Recent form
The blues head into 2024 with a positive mindset after finishing the previous year on a high note, winning four out of their last five matches across all competitions. One of these victories included a 3-2 win over Luton Town in the Premier League last weekend, where Cole Palmer stood out for the team, contributing to all three goals. He scored twice and assisted Noni Madueke for his second goal in two games. However, despite their comfortable lead, Luton fought back valiantly in the final 10 minutes, scoring twice, but Chelsea managed to hold on for the win. This victory proved valuable as all the teams above them in the Premier League table dropped points, allowing Chelsea to close the gap to just three points behind Brighton & Hove Albion in seventh place.
Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures consist of two consecutive cup matches against Championship opponents. They will face Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup semi-final first leg next Tuesday, followed by an FA Cup third-round clash with Preston on Saturday. Chelsea has a favorable record against Preston, having won nine out of their last 15 meetings in all competitions. Last season, Chelsea suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup third round, marking the first time in 25 years that they were eliminated at that stage. The only other time they exited the tournament at the same stage in consecutive seasons was between 1978-79 and 1980-81.
However, Chelsea’s track record suggests they should be confident heading into Saturday’s FA Cup tie as they have progressed from their last 18 FA Cup matches against lower division teams since their 4-2 loss to Bradford City in the 2014-15 season.
Preston North End Recent form
Preston’s end to 2023 and start to 2024 has been disappointing, in contrast to Chelsea. They suffered defeats in three out of their final four matches in 2023, and their first match in 2024 against Sunderland ended in a 2-0 loss. Alex Pritchard and Nazariy Rusyn scored goals in the first half, leading to Preston’s 11th Championship defeat of the season. This has caused them to slip to 14th place in the table, but they are only five points behind Sunderland in sixth place, which is the final playoff spot. Preston has only won four out of their last 19 games in the second tier, which has put pressure on head coach Ryan Lowe. Lowe is eager to find solutions and improve the club’s performance. He has also acknowledged that his main focus is on the Championship, rather than their upcoming match against Chelsea in the FA Cup.
Preston has never beaten Chelsea in their previous three FA Cup meetings, and they have struggled in the competition in recent years. They have lost nine out of their last 11 FA Cup matches and have only reached the fourth round three times in the past two decades. Additionally, Preston has lost 17 out of their last 18 FA Cup ties against top-flight opposition. Their only victory came against Derby County in January 2008, where they won 4-1. These statistics do not provide much hope for Preston as they head to Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Chelsea vs Preston North End Key Stats
- Chelsea has a 100% win record against Preston in their three previous FA Cup encounters, securing victories in 1968-69, 2001-02, and 2009-10.
- Preston has managed only one win in their last 15 meetings with Chelsea across all competitions, their sole victory occurring in a 1-0 home win in February 1981.
- Chelsea has triumphed in their last 18 FA Cup encounters against lower-division teams, excluding their 2014-15 loss to Bradford City, marking a strong record against lower-tier opposition.
- Preston’s FA Cup track record shows nine losses in their previous 11 matches, with only two victories. Against top-flight clubs, they’ve lost 17 out of their last 18 FA Cup encounters.
- Chelsea’s recent third-round elimination against Manchester City last season (4-0) marked their first exit at this stage in 25 years. Previously, they faced consecutive eliminations between 1978-79 and 1980-81.
- This historical data points to Chelsea’s consistent dominance against Preston in FA Cup clashes, their formidable record against lower-division teams, and their infrequent setbacks in the early stages of the competition.
AI Predicts Winner of Chelsea vs Preston North End
We gave the stats, recent head-to-head game facts, and current form of both the teams to Natural Language processing AIs (ChatGpt and Bard), and here are the results.
ChatGPT’s prediction
“Considering Chelsea’s consistent success against Preston in previous FA Cup encounters, their strong track record against lower-division teams, and Preston’s recent struggles in FA Cup matches, it seems likely that Chelsea will emerge victorious. Chelsea’s historical dominance in this scenario, coupled with their resilience against lower-tier teams, suggests they might secure the win in this upcoming match.”
Bards’s prediction
“Despite Preston’s historical struggles against Chelsea and top-flight clubs in the FA Cup, Chelsea’s recent dominance in the competition against lower-league sides and impressive run of wins against Preston tip the scales towards a comfortable Blues victory. Expect Chelsea to avoid a repeat of last year’s shock exit and cruise into the next round.”
Our Experts Predict Winner of Chelsea vs Preston North End
Chelsea’s recent improvement and successful track record against weaker teams indicate a positive outlook for their upcoming match against a struggling Preston team on Saturday. It is important to not completely dismiss the visitors, especially if they face a Chelsea lineup that has made significant changes. However, Pochettino’s team should ultimately possess the necessary attacking ability to comfortably win the game at their home ground.
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