You're not going to find a bigger mismatch than this in the Premier League. Hull City is sitting on just 15 points through 21 matches this season, and it's largely regarded as the worst team in the top flight. Chelsea meanwhile, is in great form, has one of the best teams in the world, and is the biggest favorite of the entire season here in this fixture.
Don't miss the EPL action from Stamford Bridge at 11:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, January 22, 2016. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC Sports Network.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chelsea -500
Hull City +1600
Draw +585
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
You almost never seen -500 favorites in the EPL. In fact, this makes Chelsea the biggest favorite we've seen in the Premier League, not just this year, but in the last two seasons. The Blues are laying two full goals on the Asian Handicap, and the fact that the total is set at a practically flat 3 almost certainly suggests that Hull City has virtually no chance to score a goal.
If you do happen to think that the Tigers can pull off what would be a shocking upset, you can cash in to the tune of 16 to 1 on the moneyline.
Key Injuries
The Diego Costa saga has been the biggest deterrent this year for Chelsea. By all accounts, he's been a bit whiny and was told to go train on his own for a few days after dealing with a back injury. Costa clearly wants out of Chelsea, and manager Antonio Conte is probably willing to oblige, but the price has to be right to do so for sure, knowing that Costa is one of the top strikers in the world. Will Costa be inserted back into the lineup in this one? That's a big time drama that will surely play out by Sunday. Fortunately for Costa, it's really the only big problem on the injury or suspension front the Blues have to deal with.
Hull City was already the thinnest team in the Premier League, but now, it's a club that feels like it's barely piecing together a squad of 11 men with a full complement of reserves. Amongst the men out of the fold include Alex Bruce, Markus Henriksen, William Keane, Greg Luer, and Moses Odubajo, but we have to remember that both Dieumerci Mbokani and Ahmed Elmohamady are both out of the lineup thanks to their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Recent Form
Mike Phelan was canned on January 3 by Hull City, while Tony Pennock took over as a caretaker in his place. Now, it's up to Marco Silva to lead this team for the rest of the season and most likely, in the Championship next year. The Tigers did take a big step in the right direction by beating Bournemouth last week, but they're going to need more good results if they want to have any chance to stay in the top flight for next season.
Chelsea is back to its winning ways at this point. The Blues had their record run snapped on January 4 in a 2-0 loss to Tottenham, but they've since blasted Peterborough 4-1 and Leicester City 3-0 in a pair of emphatic matches, both of which were played without Costa, for good measure.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It's just so hard to bet against Chelsea at the moment. Hull City is ravaged by injuries and wouldn't have been able to keep up with the Blues in all likelihood regardless of their absentees.
Though we know you're not getting rich by betting on favorites in the Premier League, this is a rare spot where we're willing to lay the lumber. The Blues are capable of putting three or more goals on the board, and if they can get to at least three in this one, it's hard to see Hull City even remotely staying close to the number.
EPL Odds: Chelsea 5, Hull City 0
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