WEST BROMWICH ALBION v CHELSEA
Barclays Premier League
Sunday 23rd August 2015, 1:30pm
The Hawthorns
(Live on Sky Sports)

MATCH NOTES

The game will be the 134th league and cup meeting between Albion and Chelsea. The Blues currently lead the way in terms of victories with 55 compared to Albion's 43. There have been 18 Premier League meetings with Chelsea winning 13 and the Baggies three.

Albion's last game on August 23 came as recently as last year when an Alan Irvine-led side played out a 0-0 Premier League draw at Southampton. The Baggies' last win on this date came in 2011 when they recorded a 4-1 win at Bournemouth in a Carling Cup 2nd round tie, Marc-Antoine Fortune (2), Jerome Thomas and Simon Cox the Albion goalscorers. The club's last league win on August 23 came in 2003 when a Lee Hughes goal gave Gary Megson's Albion a 1-0 win at Watford in a League Division One encounter.

More details on Albion happenings on August 23 over the years can be found here

Chelsea's last game on this date also took place last year, the Blues beating Leicester City 2-0 in a Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.

Albion are the only club in English league football yet to score a goal this season.

If selected, Baggies' goalkeeper Boaz Myhill will make his 400th career start.

Sunday's game will be Jose Mourinho's 300th in charge of Chelsea.

Mourinho's last six Premier League defeats have come against a manager who has a surname starting in P: Pulis, Poyet, Pardew, Pochettino, Pulis, Pellegrini.

Albion's last six games: Watford (A) 0-0; Manchester City (H) 0-3; Bristol Rovers (A, Fr) 4-0; Walsall (A, Fr) 2-0; Swindon Town (A, Fr) 4-1; Richmond Kickers (A, Fr) 2-1.

Chelsea's last six games: Manchester City (A) 0-3; Swansea City (H) 2-2; Fiorentina (H, Fr) 0-1; Arsenal (Wembley, CS) 0-1; Barcelona (USA, Fr) 2-2; Paris Saint-Germain (USA, Fr) 1-1.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

On-loan winger Serge Gnabry could make his Baggies' debut whilst record signing Salomon Rondon is in line for a first start for the club.

Saido Berahino should figure despite being the subject of a bid from Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster remains missing due to his long-term knee injury.

Chelsea

Chelsea's new £21m signing Pedro could make his debut, as could full-back Baba Rahman, whilst goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returns after being suspended for last Sunday's defeat against Manchester City.

Blues' captain John Terry is likely to start despite being substituted at half-time against City.

Victor Moses and Oscar are both injured.

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 11/2, Chelsea Win: 8/13, Draw: 5/2.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Rondon 9/1, Berahino 10/1, Anichebe 10/1, Ideye 12/1, Lambert 12/1, McManaman 14/1, McClean 14/1, Gnabry 14/1, Gardner 16/1, Morrison 20/1, Brunt 25/1, Dawson 25/1, Fletcher 33/1, McAuley 33/1, Chester 33/1, Lescott 33/1.

Chelsea: Costa 7/2, Falcao 5/1, Remy 5/1, Hazard 11/2, Pedro 13/2, Cuadrado 10/1, Fabregas 12/1, Ramires 12/1, Loftus-Cheek 12/1, Willian 12/1,  Ivanovic 16/1, Matic 20/1, Cahill 25/1, Terry 25/1, Zouma 25/1, Rahman 28/1.

No Goalscorer: 17/2.

www.williamhill.com

REFEREE

Mark Clattenburg (County Durham)

Clattenburg officiated three Albion games last season - the 2-1 FA Cup win at Birmingham City in January, the 3-1 defeat at home to Manchester City on Boxing Day and the 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace in October.

The County Durham official took charge of two Chelsea games during 2014/15 - the 3-1 win at Leicester City in April and their 1-1 draw at home to Manchester City in January.

Albion have won just two out of 11 games played at The Hawthorns for which Clattenburg was referee.

He has refereed one previous Albion and Chelsea clash - a 6-0 drubbing for the Baggies at Stamford Bridge on the opening day of the 2010/11 season.

The official issued 172 yellow and five red cards in the 47 games he officiated last season.

A full run-down of Clattenburg's history refereeing the Baggies can be found here

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are currently on sale to season ticket holders and members only priced at £39 adults, £29 seniors (over-60s), £25 students/under-21s and £15 juniors.

Members can also buy a two-match package (Chelsea and Everton) for £45 adults, £34 seniors, £28 students/under-21s and £17 juniors.

WEATHER FORECAST

Sunny intervals / light rain showers, 24°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 3-0 Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Monday 18th May 2015, 8:00pm

Albion: Myhill, Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott, Brunt, Fletcher (c), Yacob, Morrison (Baird 89’), McManaman (Gardner 54’), Berahino (Ideye 79’).  Subs not used: Rose, Wisdom, Mulumbu, Anichebe.

Goalscorers: Berahino 9, 47 (pen), Brunt 60

Booked: Fletcher 29 (unsporting behaviour), Olsson 37 (foul), Gardner 63 (foul)

Chelsea: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Filipe Luis, Loftus-Cheek (Ake 73’), Matic, Remy (Brown 79’), Fabregas, Hazard, Costa (Cuadrado 64’). Subs not used: Blackman, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Mikel.

Sent-off: Fabregas 29 (Violent conduct)

Booked: Costa 28 (unsporting behaviour), Cuadrado 82 (foul)

Attendance: 24,750

Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)

Cesc Fabregas' bizarre red card capped a wretched night for Chelsea as the champions were shocked 3-0 by West Brom. Saido Berahino's double ended his own nine-game drought as he made it 20 goals for the season for the Baggies. Chris Brunt added a third to compound Chelsea's miserable night in the West Midlands as their 16-game unbeaten league run ended. And Fabregas' first-half dismissal will go down as one of the most mindless in the history of the Premier League. The midfielder saw red after kicking the ball against the side of Brunt's head as referee Mike Jones took control of a clash between Gareth McAuley and Diego Costa.

The champions were afforded a guard of honour as they came onto the pitch but the well-drilled Baggies refused to stand on ceremony to claim a deserved win. Chelsea rarely threatened, even before Fabregas walked, although Loic Remy hit the post in the second half. They had been boosted by the return of Costa after a six-week lay off with a hamstring problem while Nemanja Matic also returned with Gary Cahill, in after Kurt Zouma's season-ending knee injury. Berahino, Callum McManaman and James Morrison were recalled by Albion and McManaman nearly fired them into a fifth-minute lead. The winger ghosted past Filipe Luis only for Thibaut Courtois' excellent reaction stop to deny him a first goal for the club. Boaz Myhill then claimed Fabregas' shot after the midfielder had wriggled through, before the Baggies took the lead in spectacular style in the ninth minute. Berahino received the ball 25 yards out and allowed it to roll across him before arching a first-time drive into the bottom corner. Matic drilled wide in reply but the organised Baggies comfortably kept Chelsea at bay, with the flat atmosphere underlining the lack of importance of the game. But a routine night suddenly flared up in curious fashion when Fabregas was sent off after 29 minutes. It began when Costa and McAuley grappled in the area, with the Chelsea striker booked after the pair squared up to each other. And while referee Jones was calming the situation down Fabregas - from 20 yards away - kicked the ball towards the group and against the side of Brunt's head. Darren Fletcher then squared up to the midfielder before Fabregas was sent off, his first red card since January 2006. It was stupid from the former Barcelona star but gave the game much-needed bite. Fletcher was booked for his part in the incident. Courtois denied Brunt after Berahino's quick break and Myhill saved Luis' free-kick after Jonas Olsson chopped down Costa.

The anonymous Remy dragged a shot wide at the end of the first half but Chelsea were 2-0 behind before they could even blink after the break. Just 26 seconds after the restart John Terry scythed down Berahino in the area and the striker beat Courtois from the spot. Remy thumped the post from 20 yards but it was only a brief threat from the visitors and Brunt sealed Albion's victory on the hour. Chelsea switched off from a short corner and the midfielder was allowed to run into the box and lash past Courtois at his near post. Jose Mourinho looked on disgusted and his mood failed to improve when Myhill saved well from Matic with 17 minutes left. The quiet Eden Hazard fired over late on but there was nothing he could do to stop Chelsea slipping to just their third league defeat of the season.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Academy starlet Isaiah Brown made his debut for Albion on May 4, 2013, against Wigan Athletic at The Hawthorns, becoming the second-youngest player in Premier League history at the age of 16 years and 117 days. He joined Chelsea in a controversial move in July 2013.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Nicolas Anelka, Neil Clement, Stan Crowther, Shaun Cummings, Warren Cummings, Alan Dickens, Perry Digweed, Tony Godden, Bobby Gould, Derek Kevan, Romelu Lukaku, Jimmy Millar, Paddy Mulligan, Frank Nouble, Fred Richardson, Graham Roberts, Fred Rouse, Frank Sinclair, Scott Sinclair, David Speedie, Kenny Swain, Mickey Thomas and Andy Townsend.
  
Former Baggies’ boss Steve Clarke spent 11 years as a player with Chelsea between 1987-98, making 421 appearances. He also spent four years coaching the Blues' first-team; Roberto Di Matteo managed both clubs having previously had a lengthy spell as a Chelsea player, whilst another former Blues' player Eddie Newton, was Di Matteo's assistant at both The Hawthorns and Stamford Bridge; Former Albion manager Jack Smith was a player for Chelsea prior to the Second World War; World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst had a short spell as a player at The Hawthorns before later managing the London club; Ex-Albion player and manager Don Howe had a spell as Chelsea coach; Former Baggies' goalkeeper Bob Ward would later act as Chelsea physio; Former sprint champion Ade Mafe has acted as fitness coach for both clubs.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS CHELSEA