Chelsea 2-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Stamford Bridge, Monday 3 February 2025, 8pm GMT
West Ham United were dealt a frustrating 2-1 defeat against Chelsea on Monday night, as a second-half turnaround handed them a cruel loss at Stamford Bridge.
The evening started brightly for the Hammers when captain Jarrod Bowen marked his return to action with a neatly dispatched finish after 42 minutes.
Good value for their lead, the award of a contentious goal to the hosts midway through the second half – that needed VAR intervention - swung the pendulum of momentum, as substitute Pedro Neto's effort was allowed to stand before Cole Palmer's powerful shot then went in with the help of the unfortunate Aaron Wan-Bissaka ten minutes later to condemn the Irons to a narrow defeat.
The first clear-cut chance arrived after a quarter of an hour. After Nicolas Jackson and Marc Cucurella had efforts blocked inside seven minutes, the Hammers got caught in possession just outside their own area and Chelsea pounced. Jackson played a first-time pass into the path of Noni Madueke, but the England winger's curling effort sailed just wide of the bottom corner.
West Ham's response was exciting and instant. Aaron Cresswell’s corner was nodded down to the returning Bowen, whose snapshot was matched by a sharp, low save by Filip Jørgensen. Andy Irving, making his first start for West Ham – and in the Premier League - against the same opponent he debuted against in August last year, then blazed over from 20 yards after Carlos Soler’s knock back fell to his left foot.
Chelsea hit back, with Palmer sending one effort flashing over the bar, Cucurella had a header off-target from Reece James’ inswinging cross and Enzo Fernández burst into the box but struck wide of the far post.
Ten minutes later, Chelsea countered again. Jadon Sancho’s impact grew in the later stages of the first half and after a long ball forward, the winger turned just outside the box and curled the ball over Alphonse Areola’s crossbar, but then the momentum of the match turned.
In their opening three Premier League matches under Head Coach Graham Potter, West Ham had forced 33 high turnovers – good enough for second-best in the top-flight – and Chelsea became the latest Premier League team to find out just how good our high press can be as we took the lead just before half-time.
Mohammed Kudus pressed Levi Colwill with his back to goal and the centre-back’s underhit back pass was met flush by Bowen, who controlled with one touch and arrowed into the far corner with a second.
Three minutes later, Chelsea almost levelled in first-half stoppage-time. Palmer, a perennial thorn in our side, was the man to go close with a 25-yard free kick that Areola had to tip over at full stretch to ensure we went into the break with a narrow advantage.
Into the second half and the Irons started brightly. Emerson sliced wide at the end of a well-constructed attack involving Bowen, Kudus and Wan-Bissaka before Vladimír Coufal's cross was cleared only as far as Cresswell, but the left-back’s half-volley was directed wildly over the bar.
But just as the frustration started to grow inside Stamford Bridge, Neto brought the crowd to their feet as his side's growing pressure paid off with the leveller on 64 minutes.
The Hammers felt Bowen had been fouled up in the build-up by Colwill, but the ball eventually reached Cucurella and he found Neto - via Fernández's blocked shot - to slam the ball home from close range, a tight decision for a possible offside backed up after a lengthy VAR check.
And ten minutes later, the game had been completely turned on its head as Chelsea completed a dramatic turnaround in fortuitous circumstances.
Palmer’s powerful shot across the face of the goal deflected off Wan-Bissaka’s outstretched leg, deceiving Areola and leaving him helpless.
West Ham were wobbled, and almost fell further behind shortly after when Tosin Adarabioyo had a header from a free-kick pushed away by Areola before Palmer’s effort from the edge of the area whistled inches wide of the post.
The hosts were then content to protect what they had and sat back, soaking up all the pressure. More shots were fired at them, more were repelled for corners or away from danger, with Kudus denied an almost certain goal had it not been for an outstanding goal-saving block by Adarabioyo.
Despite seven minutes of stoppage-time, we couldn’t quite conjure up another sight of goal, and would depart Stamford Bridge empty-handed at the end of a cruel defeat.
Chelsea: Jørgensen, James © (Gusto 61), Tosin, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernández, Madueke (Nkunku 61), Palmer (Chalobah 90), Sancho (Neto 52), Jackson (Guiu 52)
Subs not used: Sánchez (GK), George, Acheampong, Dewsbury-Hall
Goals: Neto 64, Wan-Bissaka OG 74
Booked: James, Fernández, Palmer
West Ham United: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Coufal (Mavropanos 72), Kilman, Cresswell (Luis Guilherme 87), Emerson (Scarles 71), Souček, Irving (Orford 77), Soler (Ings 77), Kudus, Bowen ©
Subs not used: Fabiański (GK), Foderingham (GK), Casey, Rodríguez
Goal: Bowen 42
Booked: Irving
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Attendance: 39,459
