Servette vs Chelsea Prediction: Maresca’s men to get the job done

Chelsea will be looking to secure their qualification to the league stage of the  Europa Conference League when they head to Servette on Thursday (19:30) with a 2-0 lead. 

Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke gave the Blues the advantage at Stamford Bridge last week, and the latter followed his goal up with a hat-trick against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League over the weekend. Read on for my Servette vs Chelsea prediction, including match odds and team news.

Servette vs Chelsea Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Servette vs Chelsea page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Servette are 3/1 to win this match in 90 minutes, which gives them a theoretical chance of 25%. A Chelsea win is valued at 8/13, giving them an implied probability of 61.9%. The draw can be backed at 16/5 (23.8%).

Both teams to score is on offer at 1/2 and over 2.5 goals is marketed at 4/9.

Football Odds

Team News

Servette’s Victory Beniangba is yet to feature this season as he recovers from a muscle injury. It looks like it will still be a few more weeks before he can return to action, so we could see either Enzo Crivelli or Jeremy Guillemenot start up front on Thursday.

Despite receiving offers to leave the club for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia over the summer, Dereck Kutesa remains available for selection, and he started the first leg at left wing. He has registered five goals in nine outings this term so far, so he is a key player to the Swiss side.

For Chelsea, Reece James remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Romeo Lavia is also out with a similar problem. Moises Caicedo is a doubt to feature with a knock, so Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could be called up to start.

Other absentees include Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling, who were all omitted from Chelsea’s Europa Conference League squad.

Enzo Maresca made nine changes at the weekend as his side ran out as 6-2 winners against Wolves, and he is expected to make a handful of changes once again. This could benefit the likes of Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Axel Disasi.

Chelsea and both teams to score @ 9/5

Chelsea and both teams to score was a winning selection in their last outing, so I feel it is only right to back this trend to continue on Thursday. The Blues delivered a devastating attacking performance at Molineux on Sunday, scoring six goals.

Madueke was the hat-trick hero and after much speculation about him potentially being sold this summer to make way for some of the new recruits, the wide man looks to have cemented his place in Maresca’s plans.

Cole Palmer, who is no stranger to a hat-trick in Chelsea colours, teed up all three of Madueke’s goals, while grabbing one himself. Joao Felix and Nicolas Jackson were the other scorers, so there are many players capable in this squad of scoring goals.

This shouldn’t be an issue for them on Thursday and I expect them to win the second leg by a couple at least. However, I do think the hosts will get on the scoresheet. The onus will be on them to start the game strongly given they are two goals down, and on home soil, the crowd will spur them on.

The first leg was the only game this season so far in which Chelsea have kept a clean sheet. The defence still looks a bit shaky at the back, and I feel as though they will concede again.

 Over 2.5 Chelsea goals @ 13/8

Chelsea have so many quality options in attacking areas that even if Maresca does rotate for this match, the Blues will still carry a huge goal threat. They did only manager two goals against Servette last week, but I think they can go at least one further in Switzerland.

They will have gained a lot of confidence from their six-goal display at the weekend and for those who were reduced to cameos then, they will want to impress to push for a return to the starting lineup against Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend.

Joao Felix is already off the mark in his second spell at the club. Nkunku has already experienced the feeling but he will want to cement his place in the starting XI. Neto will be hoping to feature so that he can get up and running for his new side, while Madueke seems to have found a clinical edge in front of goal.

I think the Blues can get the job done in style and I fancy them to score at least three goals in this game.

Offers

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