New Delhi: Chelsea hosted West Ham United in the final clash of the matchday right when the final minutes of the transfer deadline day ticked the clock down. The Blues were hosting former manager Graham Potter for the first time since firing him from the club in April 2023 as the Englishman recently took charge of London rivals West Ham United. Both teams headed into the game desperate for a win following poor recent form.
The game began well in favour of the hosts as they dominated most of the ball in the early proceedings but failed to create anything of note. As the half progressed, so did Chelsea on the ball and started asking questions of the West Ham defense but were let down once again by their poor finishing. Things became even more troublesome for the hosts after striker Nicolas Jackson went down injured, citing an apparent hamstring issue.
While Jackson was able to carry on for the half, Chelsea failed to breach the West Ham defense with all of Noni Madueke, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho firing wide from chances they should’ve taken. Like it has happened with Enzo Maresca’s side since boxing day, their lack of finishing ability came back to bite them as shortly before half time, West Ham made the hosts pay.
Levi Colwill made huge error as a shoddy back pass towards goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen was capitalized on by West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen, who was then through on goal, one-on-one with the keeper and slotted it coolly past Jorgensen to give the visitors the lead. Palmer had seemingly made it level just before half time via an exquisite free kick but Alphonse Areola made a crucial save to ensure the visitors kept their lead intact at half time.
Three points at the Bridge! 😁#CFC | #CHEWHU pic.twitter.com/8URo8GLddp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 3, 2025
Maresca, who had been criticized in recent weeks for not making timely substitutions, made two changes minutes after the break, brining on Marc Guiu in place of Jackson and replaced Sancho with Pedro Neto. The Portuguese winger wasn’t too effective on the left and Maresca decided to shift him to the right and replaced Madueke with Christopher Nkunku and his changes did the trick.
Neto rifled a cross in the box towards Marc Cucurella and the Spaniard set Enzo Fernandez up for the shot. The Argentinian’s shot was blocked just before the goal line and the ball fell to Neto, who smashed his effort through Areola’s legs to bring Chelsea back level in the 64th minute. The comeback for the Blues was complete 10 minutes later but not before Mohammed Kudus rifled the post with his header.
Chelsea were knocking on the door ever since going behind and a slice of good fortune went their way in the 74th minute as Neto and Cucurella were involved in the goal once again. Neto’s cross found the Spaniard on the other flank who laid the ball off to Palmer in the box. The Englishman tried to shoot across Areola’s goal but his shot was blocked by Aaron Wan Bissaka but unluckily for him, the ball looped over everyone and hit the back of the net to give Chelsea the lead.
The hosts made a lot of efforts to increase their advantage and put the game beyond any doubt but couldn’t find the net again to ensure a nervy end to the game. Chelsea ultimately held on to their lead till the final whistle to give them only their second win in the last eight games. With other results going in favour of the Blues this weekend, this win sees them move back into the top four, two points ahead of both Newcastle and Manchester City.
Player of the Match
🚨🐐 Cole Palmer vs West Ham:
• 1 goal
• 3 key passes
• 4/5 accurate long balls
• 7 shots..and he wasn’t even at his best today. pic.twitter.com/s2H03ppFLy
— cfc.beda (@cfcbeda) February 3, 2025
While there were several standout performances on the night, none were more influential than Chelsea’s young maestro, Cole Palmer. The Englishman was a constant thorn in West Ham’s defense, pulling the strings in attack and making things happen every time he was on the ball. While Enzo Fernández and Marc Cucurella had strong cases, Palmer’s relentless attacking intent and ability to dictate play in the final third make him a prime candidate for the accolade. Palmer was at the heart of Chelsea’s offensive play, taking a game-high seven shots and coming close to scoring with a well-struck free kick that was saved just before halftime.
His persistent threat forced an own goal which was the eventual winner, a testament to the pressure he put on the opposition. Not only did he create three chances—joint-most in the game—but he was also heavily involved in the build-up, recording 56 touches, including four inside the opposition box. His seven passes into the final third helped keep Chelsea on the front foot, while his impressive duel success rate of 75% highlighted his tenacity both on and off the ball. With his vision, movement, and ability to influence key moments, Palmer was a driving force for the Blues, making his performance one of the most decisive of the night.
Chelsea completed a comeback win over London rivals West Ham United to ensure they comple a double over the Hammers this season as a Pedro Neto strike and an Aaron Wan Bissaka own goal completed the comeback. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
