Chelsea make the trip to The Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion knowing that victory will see the club win the Premier League title.
West Brom will hope to put a dent in Antonio Conte's title ambitions, but the Baggies are without a win in their last half-a-dozen fixtures.
West Bromwich Albion
© Getty ImagesIf West Brom manage to keep a hold of eighth place, Tony Pulis will consider it job done and he will deserve all the praise that comes with equalling the club's best-ever finish in the Premier League.
However, whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign, some will see it as a missed opportunity to make a bid for seventh with the team remaining in a lofty position - by their own standards - despite just two points and two goals from six games.
Pulis will play down that return, instead opting to focus on how they have performed over the course of the campaign, but the fact remains that they have not turned an excellent campaign into one which could have delivered European football.
All things considered, that is a minor blip but Pulis has a difficult task to lift his players for matches with Chelsea, Manchester City and Swansea City, who could all have something to play for when the fixtures take place over the course of the next 10 days.
West Brom simply cannot afford to sign off for the summer having gone nine matches without a win because such a run would likely see them give up a place in the top half of the table, one which they have held for months.
There would have been some relief after the 2-2 draw with Burnley, with Salomon Rondon scoring his first goal since the middle of December, but it is a result which they must build on if they are to be satisfied with a season which at one point promised that little bit more.
Recent form: DLLLLD
Chelsea
© SilverHubEver since Conte decided to change his formation at the start of October, it has seemingly been a matter of time until Chelsea put themselves in a position to regain the Premier League title which they failed to defend last year, and on Friday evening they have the opportunity to see off rivals Tottenham Hotspur with two matches to spare.
While claiming the top-flight crown will be accepted in any circumstances, the ambitious Conte would feel a tinge of disappointment should his team not get the job done before the final day because aside from defeats to Spurs, Crystal Palace and Manchester United, they have been ruthless in a campaign littered with inconsistency from many of their nearest rivals.
Success at The Hawthorns is far from a foregone conclusion - even given West Brom's poor form since beating Arsenal on their own patch - but it would take a monumental touch of nerves for Chelsea to give up their place at the top of the standings.
When his team lost two times in four outings, questions were being asked about whether Conte could lift his players to see off Spurs who, like a juggernaut, were hurtling towards them and reducing the gap, but the answers that the Italian would have demanded were provided in four games in all competitions which have seen Chelsea score at least three goals.
April and May is supposed to be the period where teams place more emphasis on keeping it tight and grounding out results, but Chelsea have gone out and shattered Spurs' dreams in both the league and the cup with offensive-minded football, which should only be applauded.
At a time when he has been linked with a lucrative switch to China, Diego Costa is back in form with three goals in as many games, as are Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard who also have admirers around the globe.
Speculation will persist until Conte himself publicly declares where he will spend next season but for now, all of their attention is on completing a job which seemed unthinkable when Chelsea were played off the park by Arsenal back on September 24.
Recent form: WWLWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WLWWWW
Team News
© SilverHubConte has declared that he has no injury worries ahead of the game, meaning that N'Golo Kante is likely to take his place in midfield after missing the 3-0 win over Middlesbrough.
David Luiz is also expected to start after being substituted during the closing stages of that match as he continues to cope with a knee problem.
Pulis revealed at his pre-match press conference that Matt Phillips would not be available to return, while a doubt remains over Hal Robson-Kanu.
However, there is positive news regarding the fitness of Jonny Evans, who is expected to feature in the starting lineup.
West Bromwich Albion possible starting lineup:
Foster, Dawson, Evans, McAuley, Wilson, Yacob, Fletcher, Livermore, McClean, Brunt, Rondon
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Courtois, Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill, Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso, Pedro, Hazard, Costa
Head To Head
Friday's match will represent the 138th time that these two teams have faced each other in a competitive fixture, with Chelsea claiming 59 wins in comparison to 42 victories for West Brom.
Chelsea have suffered just one defeat in their last eight contests with West Brom, although that setback saw them succumb to a 3-0 defeat on their travels.
Earlier this season, the Blues fought to a 1-0 win thanks to a second-half strike from Costa.
We say: West Bromwich Albion 1-3 Chelsea
Pulis and his players will feel that they have nothing to lose when hosting the league leaders, but we cannot see a focused Chelsea side not returning to Stamford Bridge without the league crown. An early goal would open up the match, and that would only spell trouble for the home team and we think the Blues will run out 3-1 victors.
