Chelsea v West Ham United
Premier League, Stamford Bridge, Monday 3 February 2025, 8pm GMT
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistant Referees: Constantine Hatzidakis and Natalie Aspinall
Fourth Official: Gavin Ward
VAR: Michael Salisbury
Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood
Stuart Attwell has been confirmed as the referee for West Ham United’s Premier League clash away to Chelsea on Monday.
The 42-year-old became the-then youngest referee in Premier League history when, at 25, he took charge of Blackburn Rovers’ match against Hull City in August 2008.
He returned to the National List of Referees in 2012, but was promoted back to the Select Group for 2016/17 and earlier this season took charge of his 200th fixture in the English top flight.
Originally from Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Attwell held the whistle during Liverpool’s penalty-shootout win over Chelsea in the 2022 EFL Cup final, and also oversaw Arsenal’s dramatic Community Shield victory over Manchester City in August 2023.
He was the man in the middle of our 0-0 home Premier League draw with Everton in November, and in total he has refereed 23 West Ham matches during his esteemed career, the first being a 1-0 Premier League victory away at Wigan Athletic in March 2009, during which Carlton Cole scored a superb winner for the visiting Irons.
That Everton clash is one of 12 Premier League matches in which Attwell has held the whistle this season, while he has refereed in UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying and in the EFL Championship during 2024/25, as well as on the international scene in the UEFA Nations League.
Constantine Hatzidakis and Natalie Aspinall will serve as the assistant referees at Stamford Bridge.
The duo regularly officiate matches alongside Attwell, and duly served with him in his last three top-flight matches, most recently AFC Bournemouth’s win over Newcastle United on 18 January.
Hatzidakis has run the line in 16 Premier League games this campaign, including alongside Attwell in the aforementioned 0-0 draw with Everton in November.
Aspinall, meanwhile, has made four of her 16 top-flight appearances as an assistant referee in the Premier League this season, and was the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in the Hammers’ 3-2 victory over Fulham earlier this month.
Fourth official Gavin Ward is yet to referee a Premier League match, but comes with extensive experience in the EFL Championship, League One and League Two, taking charge of Millwall’s 1-0 win over Luton Town most recently, on 25 January.
He has worked as the fourth official at nine West Ham clashes in all competitions, including the 1-1 draw away at AFC Bournemouth on the opening day of the ongoing 2023/24 season and the 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on 17 February 2024.
Michael Salisbury is set to look after Video Assistant Referee duties. Salisbury, who has been part of the Select Group of Referees since the 2022/23 season, has held the whistle at seven Premier League matches so far this campaign, including our 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on 4 January 2025, and was the VAR against AFC Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium in December. He is set to be assisted by Timothy Wood.
