Chelsea fought back from an early setback to secure a commanding 5-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium, with Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Trevoh Chalobah all on target.
The Blues were dealt an early blow when England forward Cole Palmer pulled up during the warm-up and was replaced by 18-year-old Brazilian teenager Estevao Willian. Things worsened almost immediately, as Estevao’s misplaced backheel in the sixth minute allowed Lucas Paqueta to seize possession before unleashing a stunning, swerving strike into the top corner to give West Ham the lead.
Chelsea responded quickly, with Estevao recovering from his early error to set up a comeback. In the 15th minute, compatriot Joao Pedro rose highest to head home from close range, drawing the visitors level. West Ham thought they had regained the advantage when Niclas Fullkrug scored from Jean-Clair Todibo’s cross, but a VAR review ruled Todibo offside, cancelling the goal.
Chelsea capitalised on the momentum, taking the lead in the 23rd minute when Pedro Neto volleyed home, before Enzo Fernandez extended the advantage 11 minutes later, tapping in from Estevao’s precise low cross. The Blues went into the break 3-1 up, leaving the home supporters frustrated, and boos echoed around the stadium.
The second half turned into a nightmare for West Ham. After Fernandez missed a chance to make it four, Chelsea punished more defensive lapses. In the 54th minute, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, making his home debut after a £20m summer move from Leicester, failed to deal with a corner, allowing Caicedo to fire in Chelsea’s fourth. Just four minutes later, Chalobah added the fifth from another set piece as Hermansen flapped at a cross.
By then, thousands of home fans had begun leaving the stadium, while those who remained responded with ironic cheers when Hermansen claimed a routine catch in stoppage time.
West Ham’s defensive frailties were further exposed by Chelsea’s set-piece dominance, with three of the Blues’ goals coming from corners. Even 5ft 9in Marc Cucurella managed to flick on a corner to assist Joao Pedro’s equaliser against a backline featuring three centre-backs.
There were further signs of disorganisation in midfield, with Fernandez and Caicedo exchanging several short passes unchallenged just before half-time, underlining West Ham’s lack of intensity.
The defeat piles more pressure on manager Graham Potter, who has now overseen successive losses following last week’s 3-0 defeat at newly promoted Sunderland. West Ham have failed to win any of their last six home matches and have conceded eight goals in their first two games of the season, their worst defensive start to a top-flight campaign.
With supporters growing restless and expectations mounting, Potter faces a stern test to turn the club’s fortunes around as pressure intensifies on both the players and the board.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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