Today, West Ham will be hosting Chelsea at the London Stadium in what promises to be an intense London derby. This match is the second of three London derbies taking place this Premier League weekend. West Ham has faced a challenging summer so far, but there are signs of progress in the transfer market, giving hope for an improvement in their domestic form from last season.
On the other hand, Chelsea showed promising signs in their first game under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, as they secured a draw against Liverpool last week. Although they are still a work in progress, there is renewed optimism within the team after a disappointing previous season.
West Ham has always brought their best game to London derbies, making this clash with Chelsea all the more fascinating. It will be intriguing to see how much progress Pochettino has made with his new team in such a short period.
Despite reportedly being investigated by the Football Association for potential betting rule breaches, Lucas Paqueta is in the West Ham lineup to face Chelsea. The Brazil midfielder is said to be shocked by the reports, which surfaced on Friday. Additionally, James Ward-Prowse will be making his debut for West Ham after his £30 million transfer from Southampton.
Chelsea, on the other hand, will only make one change to their lineup, with Malo Gusto replacing the injured captain Reece James. Moises Caicedo, Chelsea’s record signing, starts on the bench, while Romeo Lavia did not travel with the rest of the squad. Robert Sanchez continues in goal for Chelsea after the departure of Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Malo Gusto will take over at right-back in the absence of James.
The defensive partnership consists of Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, and Axel Disasi, with Ben Chilwell on the left side. Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez form the midfield duo, while Carney Chukwuemeka also features in the midfield for Chelsea. Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson complete the attacking lineup, with Pochettino making just one change from the team that drew with Liverpool.
There is a possibility of seeing Caicedo in action at some point during the match. Pochettino praised the club’s efforts in signing Caicedo, highlighting the fantastic work done by the owners and sporting directors. He expressed excitement about adding players like Caicedo and Romeo to the squad, emphasizing that it is a thrilling moment for the club.
West Ham vs Chelsea Live!
Overall, this London derby between West Ham and Chelsea holds great anticipation, with both teams looking to make their mark early in the season.
