Chelsea vs Gent Prediction, Odds and Team News: Back starter Nkunku to continue cup scoring streak

A much-changed Chelsea will bid to make it five wins on the spin when they host Gent in the Conference League at Stamford Bridge tonight, live on TNT Sports 1 at 8pm.

Blues boss Enzo Maresca has opted to select a completely new 11 to the side that beat Brighton over the weekend, with Christopher Nkunku given the chance to continue his cracking cup form.

Christopher Nkunku may not have nailed down a place in Enzo Maresca's Premier League starting line-up this season, but this could be to our benefit here, with the Frenchman almost certain of a start against Gent.

Nkunku has shone when called upon in cup competitions this term, scoring in both legs of Chelsea's Conference League play-off victory over Servette and he netted a hat-trick in the 5-0 defeat of Barrow in the Carabao Cup. He also grabbed all three points for Chelsea in the 1-0 league win at Bournemouth when he came off the bench to fire home the only goal of the game.

At 21/20, he's well-fancied to continue his cup-scoring streak on Thursday night.

For my longer priced selection, I've added my first tip of Nkunku to score to a 14/1 Bet Builder, which also requires Chelsea to win and Gent's Omri Gandelman to find the back of the net.

Nkunku has an impressive return of six goals in nine games this season, despite only starting four times.

As mentioned, Chelsea have started to click under Maresca who now has six wins from nine matches in all competitions. The Blues are enjoying a four game winning run and have scored 4+ goals three times already this season, firing in nine goals in their last two games at the Bridge.

Gent are 3rd in the Belgian Pro League but have been defeated three times in their nine matches. Their form on the whole is decent with seven wins in nine league and cup games, however, the step up in quality on Thursday means it's difficult to see opponents Chelsea dropping points in front of their own fans.

With goals on the cards, I like the look of another appealing option in the anytime goalscorer market, in Gent's Omri Gandelman (23/5) who has notched six goals in his last seven games, including a brace in his last outing - a 4-2 win away to domestic rivals Club Brugge.

Wrap these three bets together and you get a 14/1 Bet Builder with BetMGM.

Chelsea vs Gent Team News

Chelsea Starting XI

Jorgensen; Disasi, Tosin, Badiasile, Veiga; Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall; Pedro Neto, Felix, Nkunku, Mudryk.

Gent Starting XI

Roef, Brown, Watanabe, Mitrovic, Torunarigha, Gambor, Fadiga, Delorge, Ito, Surdez, Gudjohnsen