West Ham United host Chelsea in Saturday’s early Premier League kick off with the aim of moving up the table after a middling start to the season.
The Hammers’ only win of the campaign came against Crystal Palace back in August and they drew 1-1 with Fulham last time out. Manager Julen Lopetegui is attempting to build a more progressive and attacking side and will have been impressed with their early performances despite results not exactly falling their way.
Today’s opponents are Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea. Currently eighth in the table, the Blues are running hot and cold with a 6-2 mauling of Wolves followed up by a 2-0 defeat at home to Man City. Three points today will likely take them into the top four but there are questions for Maresca to answer over his best starting line-up with Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson fighting to lead the line.
Follow all the action from the London Stadium with our live blog below:
HT: West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
A poor first half from the home side overall, with the defending for the two goals among some of the worst you will see this season.
In attack, they managed to create some decent opportunities, but this game has got away from them and their defensive fragility looks like it could be revealed again at any moment.
For Chelsea, they’ll go into the break absolutely delighted, but also a little confused as to how they’re 2-0 up while barely having to take their foot off the gas.
The home fans will be hoping for a way back into the game, but it’s difficult to see one at this point, even if Chelsea do sometimes look fragile in defence themselves.
HALF-TIME: West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
A free-kick almost finds its way to Kilman, but the home side win the corner, which is eventually cleared.
The referee blows the whistle and the hosts are booed off at half-time.
A poor performance in the first 25 minutes, with some ridiculous defending, and though they got back into it a bit in the last few minutes, it looks like too little too late.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Mavropanos heads the free-kick wide, and there’ll be two minutes of added time here.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Madueke is in behind down the right and he clips in a cross, but there was nobody there to meet it. Summerville leads a West Ham counter, and he wins a free-kick on the edge of the area.
Fofana is booked for dragging him down.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Sanchez and Kudus fight for a ball and the West Ham man wins it, but he can only hook a cross well past his teammates before the home side concede a free-kick.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Great work again from Kudus to skip past Cucurella in the box and cross it t Soucek, who rifles a low shot straight at Sanchez.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Soucek replaces Guido Rodriguez.
Bowen is fouled on halfway, but West Ham can’t build anything as Paqueta runs it out of play.
West Ham 0-2 Chelsea
Summerville leads the home side’s counter as he almost gets on to the end of the through ball from Wan-Bissaka, but it runs to Sanchez.
Tomas Soucek is preparing to come on for the home side.