West Ham vs Chelsea: Ruthless Blues humiliate former boss to claim first win of the season

Chelsea’s plans were disrupted when Cole Palmer withdrew from the starting lineup due to a warm-up injury, but they shook that off to claim an easy 5-1 win over a hapless West Ham side, led by former Blues boss Graham Potter.

Lucas Paquetá fired a left-footed rocket to give the Hammers a sixth-minute lead, but the Blues exploited their defensive vulnerabilities. Marc Cucurella flicked on Pedro Neto’s corner for João Pedro to head home the equalizer.

Neto then volleyed in from Pedro’s cross, unmarked, to complete the turnaround by the 23rd minute. Estêvão, Palmer’s replacement, became Chelsea’s youngest Premier League assist-maker at 18 years and 120 days, setting up Enzo Fernández’s tap-in.

A fourth came when Mads Hermansen botched a corner, allowing Moisés Caicedo to score. Trevoh Chalobah added a fifth before the hour, prompting early exits from Hammers fans.

West Ham’s late response saw Kyle Walker-Peters score, but Chelsea nearly made it six when Reece James found Estêvão, only for Hermansen to save.