The first London Derby of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign is set, as West Ham United host Chelsea at the London Stadium on Sunday.
The ongoing East vs West rivalry has been a consistent theme, particularly due to players who have been associated with both sides.
Throughout history, Chelsea have generally held the advantage, having emerged victorious in 54 encounters out of 120 matches across various competitions.
In the Premier League, the Blues’ most recent loss to West Ham occurred in December 2021 at the London Stadium, the home of the passionate Hammers fanbase.
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Last season, the teams played to a 1-1 draw at the same location as they both struggled to conclude their respective campaigns on a positive note. This will mark the first meeting between West Ham and Chelsea in the 2023-24 season.
Down to work! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DUW8KrdNFp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 16, 2023
This match carries significant importance for both teams, as they aim to move past the disappointing memories of the 2022-23 season.
Chelsea showed promise in their first fixture by facing Liverpool with a revamped squad, securing a draw. Meanwhile, West Ham travelled to AFC Bournemouth without their key player Declan Rice and managed to secure a point.
Both clubs are vying for their first three points in their matchday 2 encounter. The stakes are even higher for Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, given the club’s reputation for limited patience.
A failure to quickly gain momentum could tarnish his record and potentially lead to his swift dismissal.
In contrast, David Moyes at West Ham seems to have a more secure standing within the club’s administration, affording him the benefit of time before any decisions are made.
We expect an exciting game of end-to-end football, rapid transitions, enthusiastic fans in the stands, spectacular long-range goals, and animated coaches on the sidelines.
West Ham United vs Chelsea: Head-to-head
Chelsea wins: 54
West Ham United wins: 43
Draws: 23
West Ham United vs Chelsea: Team News
It’s important to highlight that the summer transfer window is still active.
The Hammers are unlikely to welcome any new welcome before the clash against Chelsea after their recent move for Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire failed to materialize.
In contrast, the Blues have signed Brighton star Moises Caicedo and are in line to complete a move for Southampton’s Romeo Lavia. There are chances that the former may get a chance to feature against the Hammers.
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Beyond these transfer activities, Chelsea will hope that their new captain, Reece James, is not seriously injured after being subbed off against Liverpool.
In the meantime, Moyes does not appear to be facing significant injury concerns.
West Ham United vs Chelsea: Potential line-ups
Following Kepa Arrizabalaga’s loan move to Real Madrid, Robert Sanchez has taken over as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper.
The Spaniard will retain his position for the upcoming match against West Ham, replacing his fellow countryman Kepa.
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Manager Pochettino tends to alternate between a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-3 formation. Given the available player options at Chelsea, he may lean towards continuing with the 3-4-3 formation utilized against Liverpool.
However, a probable alteration in the starting lineup involves young talent Carney Chukwuemeka, who might lose his place.
🏌️♂️ https://t.co/nzP4eN88qN pic.twitter.com/D1pBpmnbep
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 15, 2023
New addition Axel Disasi, who made a positive impact and even scored against Liverpool, is expected to retain his position for this reason. He will partner with Levi Colwill and experienced defender Thiago Silva in the defensive line.
Chelsea’s potential lineup: Robert Sanchez; Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Lewi Colwill; Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, Ben Chilwell; Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, Mykhailo Mudryk
West Ham are expected to follow the same line-up once again with Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma in defence alongside Emerson and Coufal on the flanks.
Similarly, Tomas Soucek, Said Benrahma and Lucas Paqueta might feature in the central midfield role. Followed by a front three of Pablo Fornals, Jarrod Bowen and Antonio. New signings Edson Alvarez and Ward-Prowse may get a place on the bench.
West Ham’s potential lineup: Areola; Emerson, Aguerd, Zouma, Coufal; Paqueta, Soucek; Benrahma, Fornals, Bowen; Antonio.
Our Final Prediction:
West Ham have managed to avoid defeat at home against Chelsea since 2021. Prior to that, their last loss was in 2017.
Both of these losses were by a narrow one-goal margin, highlighting that the Hammers don’t easily succumb to their more successful London rivals.
Their last instance of a defeat by a margin of two goals or more was in 2020. In the subsequent five matches, their losses were all close, with just a one-goal margin.
The focus of this upcoming match will be on West Ham’s recent strong performance at home against Chelsea, which they aim to maintain on August 20, 2023.
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Chelsea are expected to dominate possession and create more scoring opportunities. They will likely have more shots on target as well.
However, it will be essential for them to limit their rival’s chances, as the Hammers tend to capitalize effectively on their opportunities in these encounters. Ultimately, it’s expected that Chelsea will secure all three points.
Our Scoreline: West Ham United 1-2 Chelsea.
