Chelsea have a big opportunity on Sunday, with first place in the Premier League within arm’s reach if they can go on the road and beat Middlesbrough. Thanks to Liverpool’s draw on Saturday, Chelsea have a chance that they need to take advantage of, and that means they need to be at their absolute best.
Chelsea vs. Middlesbrough 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
Chelsea have a chance to take first place in the EPL for themselves.
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
It’s going to be a tricky match, though, as their opponents know what Chelsea need to do. Middlesbrough haven’t been one of the best teams in the EPL this season — their 15th place standing attests to that — but they have been a tricky team to face all the same. They defend well and play a tactical style that can leave their opponents frustrated as they have to constantly adjust their method of approaching the match, making this a unique challenge for Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. He enjoys a challenge, though, and you can rest assured that he won’t be satisfied unless Chelsea end the day in first place.
TV: NBCSN (U.S. - English), Telemundo (U.S. - Spanish), Sky Sports 1/HD (U.K.)
Online: NBC Sports Live (U.S.), Sky Go (U.K.)
Match Date/Time: Sunday, 11 a.m. ET, 4 p.m. local
Venue: Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, England
Three big things to know
- While Chelsea suffered a bump in their form in September, they’ve been hitting on all cylinders since then, with only a League Cup loss to West Ham to blemish their otherwise-perfect record. In Premier League action, they’ve won five straight and haven’t given up a single goal in those matches, playing truly dominant football and making new manager Antonio Conte look very, very good in doing so.
- Middlesbrough have overcome some rough league form of their own in that same timespan, losing just once since October began. They’ve also only won a single match in that timeframe, though some of their draws have been very impressive, including road draws against Arsenal and Manchester City. Middlesbrough may just be in 15th place, but they won’t be any sort of pushover for Chelsea to maul.
- There’s going to be an interesting duel between Eden Hazard, who has been in resurgent form during Chelsea’s hot run, and Middlesbrough right back Antonio Barragan. The veteran defender has been excellent on the right flank for Middlesbrough this season, but he may be facing his greatest test yet in Hazard, who is a tricky attacker to try to manage when he’s motivated and in this kind of form. If Barragan can rise to the occasion, though, it will make it much tougher for Chelsea to play the way they’ve become accustomed to as much of that has leaned on Hazard.
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