Chelsea vs West Ham - Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Graham Potter returns to Stamford Bridge with Hammers as Blues eye top four
Chelsea vs West Ham - Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Graham Potter returns to Stamford Bridge with Hammers as Blues eye top four
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Follow Mail Sport's live blog of Chelsea vs West Ham as the Blues chase a victory that would move them into the top four. By Harry Bamforth. Enzo Maresca, Chelsea boss, speaking on Friday:. Does anybody actually want to secure Champions League football this season?. I mean, it really doesn't feel like it. Every team that finally finds themselves in a position to really push on and make fourth place their own, they crumble.
Newcastle were flying and climbed all the way up into the top four, and since they have lost two home games on the spin. Then there is Manchester City. They looked to have rediscovered some form but yesterday got absolutely battered by Arsenal to open the door for Chelsea again. Tonight is a great opportunity for the Blues to get their season back on track and take the lead in the race for Europe. If they beat West Ham tonight they will jump two points above City and into fourth.
Seems simple enough, right?. Well, with the form Chelsea are in, it isn't a plain-sailing task. Enzo Maresca's side have only won once in their last seven Premier League games, going from title contenders to outside the Champions League places. Still, they simply won't be able to fathom losing on their own patch to the Hammers. Their fans would not forgive them if they did. It's a huge game for a multitude of reasons.
Guess what? Yep, we have another London derby for you to tuck into. Most rivalries in the capital don't actually have much on them, there are so many clubs in this city that they simply can't all hate each other. That can't be said about Chelsea and West Ham, though. Despite being on opposite sides of London, they really don't like each other. It may seem strange, but it all stems around a certain Frank Lampard.
When I started preparing for this match, I couldn't help but think of that scene in the film 'Ali G Indahouse'. I'd be shocked if you haven't seen it, but if that is the case I'm basically talking about when two gangs from Staines from the east and the west of the town argue which part is better. Now that I have actually written it down in this blog, it doesn't seem as funny as it was in my head, but oh well...
