Stamford Bridge will host a London derby as Chelsea welcome West Ham United. Their matchups are even more crucial because both clubs have been vying for first place in the league table for the past few seasons.
The home team has had a difficult couple of weeks as they have dropped two of their previous three Premier League games. West Ham, meanwhile, struggled to get going, but four points from their previous two games should boost their confidence.
Chelsea’s summer of reconstruction has been marked by new ownership. Wesley Fofana, Raheem Sterling, and Kalimdor Koulibaly’s additions boost the team, but Thomas Tuchel is still assembling his ideal roster and there have been growing pains.
They will be happy to be at Stamford Bridge this weekend because their away performance has been concerning. It is still too early to rule out any team’s chances of winning the championship, but the Blues must now have a winning streak to support their case.
INTERESTING STATS:
Since the first day of the season, Chelsea has failed to keep a clean sheet.
West Ham managed more shots on goal than their opponents, with 14 compared to 12, but having only 38% of the possession versus Spurs.
KEY MEN
Sterling
TEAM NEWS
N’Golo Kante isn’t expected to return until October. There is more hopeful news on Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James. The defensive pair are back in training and should be available for the weekend. Conor Gallagher will also be available after serving his suspension.
It is hoped that Scamacca will be back after missing out in the week due to illness. Nayef Aguerd will be missing until October. Lucas Paqueta could be pushing for a start.
VERDICT
This should be one of the best games this weekend, as both teams have ambitions to be competing at the top of the league. West Ham have caused problems for the top six in recent seasons and their performance during the week will give them confidence. Chelsea are currently at a low point after a couple of defeats. This could be a good time to go to Stamford Bridge. That said, Chelsea have been better at home this season. A draw could be the likely result.
Chelsea 2-2 West Ham United
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