LONDON -- West Ham vs Chelsea is always a fiery clash between two bitter London rivals, and this clash on Saturday (watch live, 7:30am ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com) has extra spice to it.
FULL REPLAY WEST HAM v CHELSEA
David Moyes’ West Ham sit in fourth place and are nine points behind first-place Chelsea heading into this clash. The Hammers have picked up just one point from their last three outings and some defensive injuries, and a dip in form from Michail Antonio, has hit them hard. Still, they’re having a fabulous season and former Chelsea academy product Declan Rice will be the main man in this clash as they aim to not only beat their rivals but show the rest of the PL they mean business in their top four push.
As for Chelsea, injuries have impacted Thomas Tuchel’s side in recent weeks too but they continue to grind out wins. They beat Watford in midweek and it wasn’t pretty, but they got the job done and continue to excel defensively. Tuchel’s side turn up week in, week out and rarely have an off day, while the likes of Romelu Lukaku is now set to play a key role after his spell out through injury. Chelsea sit just above Manchester City and Liverpool and it looks like they are locked in a three-way tussle for the title this season.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of West Ham vs Chelsea.
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Live analysis from West Ham vs Chelsea! - By Joe Prince-Wright at London Stadium
⚒🔥🙌 Absolute SCENES here at the London Stadium!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) December 4, 2021
West Ham surge back to beat their bitter rivals Chelsea 3-2, keep their top 4 bid well on track. #WHUFC #CFC #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/v7ea1Fgzj5
GOALLL! What have we just seen!?!?!? Arthur Masuaku puts West Ham 3-2 up. His cross flies in at the near post to put West Ham ahead for the first time today. Chelsea stunned. And it should be 4-2 soon after as Bowen is played in but fires over.
It is tense here. West Ham giving it a real go. Chelsea having lots of the ball.
CLOSE! West Ham almost go 3-2 up. Great play from Antonio to get free in the box and he crosses for Bowen who can’t quite stretch to tap home. That was West Ham at their best.
18 minutes to go. Chelsea look more likely to grab a win. Pulisic is on for Chelsea. Get pumped, USMNT fans.
GOALLLL! Jarrod Bowen fires home. 2-2. London Stadium goes wild! What a great game this is.
Jarrod Bowen scores for West Ham and we are level again at the London Stadium!
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 4, 2021
📺: NBCSN #WHUCHE #MyPLMorning pic.twitter.com/ql3z962lHN
SECOND HALF: Back underway here in east London. Lukaku on for Havertz at half time, after the latter suffered a heavy whack before half time. Chelsea have so many great attacking options on the bench. It’s scary.
HALF TIME: A wild end to that first half, as West Ham fought their way back into the game but Chelsea’s extra bit of quality shone through. Lovely finish from Mason Mount and Chelsea deserved to be ahead given their play in the first 45. Big second half coming up, and West Ham will surely come flying out of the traps.
GOALLLL! Chelsea retake the lead right away. A loose ball from Declan Rice allowed Chelsea to counter and a great cross found Mason Mount to volley home. What a game! Chelsea lead 2-1.
PENALTY KICK + GOALLLL! Edouard Mendy takes down Jarrod Bowen after a needless back pass from Jorginho puts him under pressure, and gives away a penalty kick. So sloppy from Chelsea. Manuel Lanzini tucks home the penalty. Game on! 1-1. The London Stadium is rocking.
BLOCK OFF THE LINE! At the other end West Ham almost equalize but Thiago Silva clears off his own line, as Vladimir Coufal thought he had scored.
🧐 Calm finish from Thiago Silva, but how is he unmarked from a corner!? Rose unchallenged to put Chelsea ahead. #WHUFC 0-1 #CFC #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/KNqzfTTu0c
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) December 4, 2021
GOALLLL! Thiago Silva puts Chelsea ahead. The Brazilian center back heads home a corner. He was unchallenged.
YELLOW! Jorginho booked after going down, not getting a free kick, then holding onto the ball and throwing it away petulantly. Declan Rice and the other West Ham midfielders are getting in Jorginho’s face, as they tried to wrestle the ball back from him. Spicing up here.
SAVE! Craig Dawson has an effort after a half-cleared corner falls to him at the near post, but it’s straight at Edouard Mendy. West Ham settling into this now.
Chelsea having a lot of the ball but West Ham do look dangerous when they win it back and try to get counters going. Hammers working so hard out there and David Moyes looks relatively happy. Thomas Tuchel doesn’t look best pleased as he folds his arms on the sidelines.
CHANCES! Hakim Ziyech couldn’t finish as a ball into the box caused havoc and West Ham blocked. At the other end Jarrod Bowen went on a mazy run and flashed an effort wide, while Tomas Soucek nodded a cross wide.
Even start here. Chelsea had a lot of the ball, but Declan Rice playing really well with some lovely shimmies to get out of trouble.
KICK OFF! We are off and underway here. I’m forever blowing bubbles has been blaring out. It’s go time.
⚒🔥🙌 “I’m forever blowing bubbles is blaring out, it’s go time!”
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) December 4, 2021
How to watch, lineups, odds & more ➡️ https://t.co/JYb6EsSIV3
My thoughts from the London Stadium ahead of #WHUFC v #CFC ⤵️ #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/vZIOYwZEYM
Welcome to east London! Beautiful day here and the atmosphere is building nicely ahead of what is always a fiery battle.
West Ham have gone to a 3-5-2 with a few defensive injuries, while Chelsea continue to rotate as Reece James and Jorginho start.
👋 Welcome to the London Stadium!
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) December 4, 2021
Absolutely glorious day for a HUGE London derby between West Ham and Chelsea! #CFC #WHUFC #WHUCHE
Live stream, analysis and reaction on #WHUCHE ➡️ https://t.co/JYb6EsSIV3 pic.twitter.com/FDDzhiNnNI
West Ham team news, injuries, lineup
Angelo Ogbonna is out for the season after ACL surgery, while Aaron Cresswell is out after a back knock.
📋 Two changes from the boss. Here's how we line up today...
— West Ham United (@WestHam) December 4, 2021
COME ON YOU IRONS! ⚒@betway | #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/yZ1PI14WJK
Chelsea team news, injuries, lineup
Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell and Mateo Kovacic are all out, while N’Golo Kante remains out. Reece James and Jorginho are both back and start.
This is your Chelsea team today! 🤝@ParimatchGlobal #WhuChe pic.twitter.com/SfROWieauC
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 4, 2021
Odds and ends (full odds provided by our partner, PointsBet)
West Ham are priced at +360 to win, while Chelsea are at -134 to win. The draw is +260.
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Prediction
This is going to be a tight, tense clash and I expect West Ham to cause Chelsea similar problems to the ones Liverpool faced in east London. With key injuries for the Blues, go for a narrow Hammers win. West Ham 2-1 Chelsea.