Chelsea v Gent: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Chelsea are favourites to win the UEFA Conference League and the Premier League heavyweights are expected to be too strong for most of their competition rivals, which includes opening opponents Gent at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are 7/4 to become the first club to win every major European trophy and manager Enzo Maresca will want to further enhance his reputation among supporters with an early piece of silverware.

Despite that, Maresca has made some notable omissions to his UEFA Conference League squad, including midfield maverick Cole Palmer, which suggests he is not putting all his eggs into one basket.

Even so, there should be enough strength in depth in Chelsea’s squad to go extremely deep in a competition where serious challengers are thin on the ground.

Gent were quarter-finalists in the UEFA Conference League in 2022–23, but they suffered a 5-2 aggregate defeat to West Ham on that occasion, suggesting Chelsea may be a step too far.

Chelsea v Gent betting tips and predictions

Chelsea to win & over 3.5 goals - 13/10

Maresca is starting to get a tune from his Chelsea players and the Blues, even without Palmer, have a wealth of attacking talent that should mean they are too explosive for Belgian visitors Gent.

They are up to fourth in the Premier League, within two points of leaders Liverpool, following a trio of successes over Bournemouth, West Ham and Brighton.

The latest 4-2 victory at home to the Seagulls highlighted their attacking presence and it means that they have netted 15 times across their last five league outings.

There is a real swagger about Chelsea right now and Maresca won’t want to halt the momentum, even if this test against Gent carries much lesser significance than their weekend showdown with Nottingham Forest.

Gent are only third in the Belgian top-flight standings, six points behind Genk, and they have lost on two of their last four league trips to Sporting Charleroi and Cercle Brugge.

Gent have lost some key players over the summer, with the likes of Julien De Sart, Tarik Tissoudali and Hong Hyun-seok all moving on for pastures new, but they have still netted in their last nine matches.

That adds extra incentive to backing Chelsea winning a high-scoring encounter and taking them to triumph in a game featuring at least four goals may be the approach to take.

Chelsea have scored three or more in four of their last seven matches in all competitions, with their last two home outings seeing them put five past Barrow in the EFL Cup before that 4-2 beating of Brighton.

Gent, regulars in this competition, have also only failed to score in only one of their last 25 Conference League fixtures.

Christopher Nkunku to score at anytime - 21/20

With no Palmer and Nicolas Jackson unlikely to be risked, somebody has to carry Chelsea’s goalscoring burden and Christopher Nkunku looks like the prime candidate to do so.

The former Leipzig man has had an injury-interrupted start to life at Stamford Bridge but he has looked lively when given the opportunity this season, netting six goals in nine appearances in all competitions.

Nkunku opened the scoring home and away against Swiss side Servette in their UEFA Conference League qualifier, while he hit a hat-trick when leading the line for Chelsea in that 5-0 romp against Barrow in the EFL Cup.

The France international will be on penalty duty with no Palmer in the squad and, in what promises to be a high-scoring affair, he looks a good bet to get on the scoresheet at odds-against.

Archie Brown to be shown a card - 13/5

Whether up against Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke or Mykhailo Mudryk, this will be a stern test for young Gent full-back Archie Brown and that could contribute to him picking up a card.

Brown came through the Derby academy before signing on for Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland, while he was booked in the away leg of Gent's final UEFA Conference League qualifier at Partizan.

This will be one of the biggest challenges that the 22-year-old will have faced in the early stages of his career and, on his return to England, the occasion may become a bit too much for him.

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Chelsea v Gent odds

Chelsea - 1/4
Draw - 9/2
Gent - 17/2

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.