Chelsea will be looking to avoid an FA Cup upset when they host League Two side Morecambe.
Chelsea vs Morecambe best bets
- Chelsea to win both halves – 4/7 with bet365
- Chelsea -1 handicap first half – 11/10 with BetMGM
- Marc Guiu to score any time – 5/6 with CopyBet
Chelsea vs Morecambe odds
Find the latest match odds for Chelsea vs Morecambe. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Chelsea vs Morecambe predictions
For the first time this season, Chelsea are in a bad run of form. A four-game winless streak over the festive period has in effect ended their Premier League title chances.
In fairness to the Blues, no one really expected them to challenge for the championship before a ball had been kicked in 2024/25. A top-four finish was the objective and Chelsea are in a decent position to realise that aim.
Perhaps more than any other English club over the last two decades, Chelsea have defined themselves by winning trophies. Unlike followers of some other teams, their fans have not been overly concerned with style. Claiming silverware has long been viewed as the be-all and end-all at Stamford Bridge.
Yet they have done so much of it in recent years. Chelsea’s last trophy was in 2021 when they beat Manchester City in the Champions League final. They have not won a domestic prize since 2018, when Antonio Conte’s charges went all the way in the FA Cup. That is a long drought for a club like Chelsea.
Maresca will be determined to pick up at least one piece of silverware this term. Chelsea are strong favourites to triumph in the Conference League, but success in the FA Cup would be more satisfying for their supporters.
Despite their failure to win this competition in the last six seasons, Chelsea remain the second-most successful side in the FA Cup in the 21st century. Only Arsenal (seven) have got their hands on the prize more often than Chelsea (six) since the year 2000.
Dig a little deeper, though, and Arsenal’s record over the last decade or so is far superior to that of Chelsea, whose 2018 victory is the only one they have managed in their last 12 attempts.
Nothing can be taken for granted in football, but Maresca will be pleased with the draw for the third round. Chelsea beat Morecambe 4-0 at this stage of the tournament four years ago and a similar outcome is widely expected on Saturday.
Morecambe are battling for their lives in League Two. Quite frankly the Shrimps have bigger fish to fry than the FA Cup. Chelsea should book their place in the fourth round without too much difficulty.
Chelsea vs Morecambe betting tips
Can Morecambe spring what would be a major surprise by beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge?
Chelsea to win both halves
Chelsea will undoubtedly shuffle their pack for this game. Maresca has used the Conference League to give game time to many of the fringe members of his squad, and he will do similar for the third round of the FA Cup.
That might not have been the case had Chelsea been drawn against a fellow Premier League side, but Chelsea’s second string should prove far too strong for Morecambe.
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Remember, their reserve team includes established internationals such as Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku, as well as talented youngsters like Marc Guiu, Cesare Casadei and Renata Veiga.
This is a free hit for Morecambe, who have nothing to lose at Stamford Bridge. Playing with freedom can be an advantage, but it will not be enough to help Derek Adams’ team avoid defeat.
Tip Chelsea to win both halves at 4/7 with bet365
Chelsea -1 handicap first half
The Conference League has been vital to Maresca’s management of his bloated squad this season.
Without it, Chelsea’s back-up players would probably have started to grumble about a lack of opportunities by now.
Instead, the Conference League has given those players a chance to catch the eye of the manager. The likes of Jadon Sancho and Felix have earned Premier League starts on the back of their appearances in Europe.
There is a clear incentive for Chelsea’s fringe players to give games like this everything they have got.
With that in mind, do not be surprised if the Blues race into a two-goal lead or more in the first half.
Back Chelsea with a -1 handicap in the first half at 11/10 with BetMGM
Marc Guiu to score any time
Guiu came off the bench towards the end of the draw with Crystal Palace. That speaks well to his chances of featuring from the first whistle this weekend.
The 19-year-old is thought to have a bright future ahead of him. Chelsea were delighted when they succeeded in prising Guiu away from Barcelona last summer.
It is noteworthy that the west Londoners opted against sending Guiu out on loan this term. The club reasoned that his development would be better served by being a member of Maresca’s first-team squad.
Guiu has scored six times in eight Conference League appearances, showcasing his potential as Chelsea qualified for the knockout phase with a minimum of fuss.
Morecambe will find it difficult to handle the precocious teenage talent when they head to the capital.
Back Marc Guiu to score any time at 5/6 with CopyBet
How to watch Chelsea vs Morecambe
- Location: Stamford Bridge, London, England.
- Date and time: Saturday 11th January, 3pm.
- How to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
- Premier League winner predictions
- Premier League top scorer odds
- Premier League relegation odds
- Champions League winner odds
- Championship promotion odds
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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