Chelsea – Fulham

London teams will score at least three goals between them.

Chelsea has had the most productive pre-season in its history. If, of course, one considers the Club World Cup as part of the pre-season rather than a conclusion to the previous season. But this is not just about winning the newly formatted CWC and the accompanying hundreds of millions of euros in prize money. Enzo Maresca's team has grown stronger in terms of confidence in their abilities and the capacity to defeat any opponent not only in England but also in the world at large. Chelsea is now not only a team whose total player valuation is among the top five on the planet, but also a well-coordinated unit. Fulham has not achieved anything heroic in pre-season, either in terms of gameplay or in the transfer market. For this London club, starting a fourth consecutive season in the Premier League is already a fact to be proud of. Since the 2017/2018 season the 'Cottagers' could be regarded as a true 'yo-yo team', moving between the Championship and the Premier League. Now, under Marco Silva's management, Fulham is a mid-table team in the Premier League that fears no one and is capable of making any opponent fight for points. Bookmakers have identified the home team as the favourites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.52 on their victory. Traditionally, Chelsea has conducted a serious transfer campaign during the pre-season, retaining the core of the team around which Maresca is building a championship-winning side. The 'Blues' spent around 280 million euros while receiving a similar amount in return. The squad has been bolstered by João Pedro, Estevao, Gittens, Hato, and Delap. Chelsea's first Premier League match proved challenging, finishing in a draw against Crystal Palace (0:0); however, in the second round, the 'Blues' scored five goals against West Ham, conceding just once (5:1). Fulham's squad has a transfer value roughly comparable to the sums that Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea have spent on new players in recent months. At the same time, the 'Cottagers' are showing their competitiveness. In their opening game of the season, they equalised in Brighton in the 90+7 minute and then came back in a home match against Manchester United. Both matches ended in a 1:1 draw. The resilient visitors will not give the hosts a peaceful time at Stamford Bridge. Let's bet that the rivals will score at least three times between them.