Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the UEFA Conference League match.
Revamped Chelsea look like an unstoppable force after the international break, and rivals such as KAA Gent should not pose a barrier for the team. Even without Cole Palmer, who is unavailable for the Conference League, the London attack appears significantly stronger than those of their nearest rivals.
Chelsea
In the second half of September, Chelsea secured three victories, each time surpassing an individual total over 2. Last weekend against Brighton (4:2), Cole Palmer was the star, scoring four goals, but his supporting cast deserves recognition. Jadon Sancho, since joining Chelsea, has registered three consecutive assists, while Nicolas Jackson has contributed 2+2 in their last two Premier League fixtures. According to xG, the team ranks in the top four in the Premier League with a figure of 13.06.
KAA Gent
KAA Gent deserve praise for their commendable performance in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, where they defeated three opponents, including Partizan Belgrade (2:0 on aggregate). Recently, however, they have conceded a total of four goals over 180 minutes against Club Brugge (4:2) and Cercle Brugge (1:2). In the Belgian Pro League, the team trails leaders KRC Genk by six points, having dropped points on two occasions out of four away matches.
Chelsea vs KAA Gent Prediction
Stamford Bridge has not hosted European competitions for a while, and fans are eager for a commanding performance from Chelsea. Gent are unlikely to create many problems for their opponents, who are expected to continue capitalising on their chances.
