CHELSEA
Premier League, Stamford Bridge, Sunday 5 May 2024, 2pm BST
West Ham United’s London-based climax to the 2023/24 season continues with a trip up west on Sunday afternoon.
This weekend’s visit to Chelsea marks the fourth of five Premier League fixtures in a row inside the M25 which also included home games against Fulham, Liverpool and another derby awayday at Crystal Palace, and concludes with the visit of Luton Town on Saturday 11 May.
The Hammers travel from one side of the capital to the other to take on Mauricio Pochettino’s side in a game the result of which will play a big part in both club’s hopes of securing European qualification.
For, following West Ham’s elimination from the UEFA Europa League and Chelsea’s from the FA Cup, a top-seven Premier League finish is now the only remaining route into continental competition available to these historic local rivals.
David Moyes’ men scored a superb 3-1 win over Pochettino’s Blues at London Stadium back in August, and victory at Stamford Bridge would complete a first Premier League double over Chelsea since the COVID-disrupted 2019/20 campaign.
How to get there…
Stamford Bridge is usually well served by public transport, like most London stadia.
The nearest London Underground station is Fulham Broadway, which is on the District line’s Wimbledon branch BUT that branch will be closed on Sunday!
A replacement bus service will operate, but if you are able, it is probably just as quick to take the Piccadilly line to Earl’s Court station, from where it is about 20 minutes’ walk to Stamford Bridge.
Alternatively, one can reach Stamford Bridge by London Overground direct from Stratford, with West Brompton and Imperial Wharf stations on the Clapham Junction route a 15-minute walk away from the ground.
Various buses pass the stadium on Fulham Road, including the 14 (from Euston Square to Putney), 211 (from Waterloo Station to Hammersmith), 414 (from Maida Vale to Putney Bridge), 11 (from Liverpool Street), 28 (from Kensal Rise), 296 (from Ladbroke Grove and Clapham Junction), and 391 (from Richmond).
Where to stay…
I mean, let’s face it, you’re unlikely to be staying overnight for a Sunday afternoon kick-off in west London, but if you’re travelling to London from outside the capital, there are literally thousands of hotels, guest houses, apartments and more to choose from all over the city if you need overnight accommodation.
If you’d like to stay near the stadium, the local area is served by a huge range of accommodation options from affordable to luxury!
What to do…
London, of course, has attractions for all the family and to suit all budgets and tastes.
While the capital’s top tourist spots are well-known, if you’re looking for something specific to do, hop online and go to visitlondon.com!
Locally, Hyde Park and Kensington Palace are situated a couple of miles to the north.
Kensington Palace (pictured, above) has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is currently the official London home of, among others, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and Princess Eugenie.
The State Rooms are open to the public and managed by the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces and house a number of interesting historical exhibitions about Royal life.
The 350-acre Hyde Park features the Diana Memorial Fountain, Speakers’ Corner, the famous Serpentine and much more.
What’s happened there before…
While Stamford Bridge hasn’t been an especially happy hunting ground for West Ham United down the decades, we have enjoyed some memorable days there in the Premier League era, including a vital 1-0 victory achieved in November 2019 through the unlikely source of debutant David Martin and Aaron Cresswell’s right boot.
Prior to that, we also won there in October 1994 (2-1), February 1996 (2-1), March 1999 (1-0) and September 2002 (3-2).
Before the Premier League’s introduction in 1993, our most memorable visit to Chelsea was a 4-0 First Division victory achieved in March 1986, when Frank McAvennie, Tony Cottee (two) and Alan Devonshire got the goals as John Lyall’s side continued their march towards a record-high third-place finish.
