CHELSEA take on West Ham in a huge game this evening in the race for the Premier League top four spots.
The Blues are level on points with the Hammers, who stray just behind their rivals on goal difference in fifth place.
- Start time: 8pm GMT
- TV/Live stream: Sky Sports Premier League/Main Event
- West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Diop, Ogbonna, Fredericks, Noble, Soucek, Fornals, Lingard, Bowen
- Chelsea XI: Mendy, Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount, Werner, Pulisic
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DRESSING ROOM SETTINGS
We’re half an hour away from kick-off!
LONDON CALLING
West Ham are unbeaten in their last five home Premier League London derbies (W3 D2), last having a longer such run between January 2006-January 2007 (6 games).
Credit: GETTY IMAGES HOME FORM
Only Manchester City (38) have won more points in Premier League home games this season than West Ham (31).
Indeed, West Ham have won nine of their 16 home league games this season (D4 L3), last reaching double figures in a top-flight campaign back in 2001-02 (12).
BLUES’ BENCH
1 Kepa, 3 Alonso, 9 Abraham, 5 Zouma, 20 Hudson-Odoi, 22 Ziyech, 23 Gilmour, 24 James, 29 Havertz.
CHELSEA XI
Mendy, Silva, Azpilicueta, Kante, Chilwell and Werner come into the starting line-up.
16 Mendy; 4 Christensen, 6 Silva, 2 Rudiger; 28 Azpilicueta (c), 7 Kante, 5 Jorginho, 21 Chilwell; 19 Mount, 11 Werner, 10 Pulisic.
HAMMERS’ BENCH
35 Randolph, 34 Trott, 31 Johnson, 14 Alves, 54 Coventry, 10 Lanzini, 7 Yarmolenko, 9 Benrahma, 45 Odubeko.
WEST HAM XI
David Moyes sticks with three central defenders and two wing-backs DESPITE the poor performance in last week’s defeat at Newcastle.
The Hammers are without both Aaron Cresswell – who is key to the five at the back system – and Arthur Masuaku.
Ryan Fredericks comes in for Ben Johnson at left wing-back.
And Balbuena starts in defence.
1 Fabianski; 5 Coufal, 4 Balbuena, 23 Diop, 21 Ogbonna, 24 Fredericks; 16 Noble, 28 Soucek; 11 Lingard, 18 Fornals, 20 Bowen.
THE TEAMSHEETS ARE IN!
GOALS GALORE
Both teams have scored at least twice in each of West Ham’s last four Premier League games – the last time that happened in five games in a row for a club in the top-flight was the Hammers themselves in March/April 2016, with that run including a 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
THROWBACK
Throwback to this belter by Paolo Di Canio against Chelsea!
And Chelsea have picked five goals they’ve scored against the Hammers! Take a look.
AWAY DAYS
Chelsea are unbeaten in all nine of their away games under Thomas Tuchel in all competitions (W7 D2) – no manager has ever remained unbeaten in their first 10 on the road in charge of the Blues.
Credit: GETTY IMAGES WRONG NET
West Ham have had a player score a goal and an own goal in two of their last four Premier League matches (Tomas Soucek vs Arsenal, Issa Diop vs Newcastle).
Before this, just two players had done so in the Hammers’ 948 Premier League games (Frank Lampard v Leicester Nov 1998 and Carlton Cole v Fulham May 2010).
REBORN
Jesse Lingard has been involved in 12 Premier League goals in his first 10 appearances for West Ham (9 goals, 3 assists).
Only three players have had a hand in more goals in their 10 appearances for a club – Mick Quinn at Coventry City, Les Ferdinand at Newcastle United and Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United (all 13).
Lingard has also scored in each of his last five Premier League appearances for the Hammers, with only Diafra Sakho ever scoring in six in a row for the club, doing so in September/October 2014.
In a recent interview, Lingard opened up about how tough life has been for him in recent years as he struggled to come to terms with his mum’s depression.
Speaking to new YouTube show Presenting, Lingard admitted: “When you’re young, seeing your mum going through something like that, you don’t understand it logically.
“You don’t know what she’s going through. She’d say ‘I’m depressed, I’m depressed’.
“But me, as a kid, you don’t know what that means.
“You’re just going out, playing out, playing football, doing your thing.
“But mum was in bed most of the time, curtains closed, she’s going through it. This is when I was young, like 12.”
Lingard hopes that by him opening up and telling his story, it inspires others who may be having a tough time.
He said: “I feel like in life you go through difficulties, you go through stages of lows and highs.
“But I feel like you’ve gotta get through the lows, grind it out and you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“That’s why I did open up, I want to change people’s lives and inspire others to start opening up.
“I’ve been through it and I know what it’s like to bottle things up.
“So if I can pass on the information to anyone who’s going through mental health issues, it’ll make me smile.”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES Credit: GETTY IMAGES CHELSEA PREDICTED LINE-UP
Here’s how I think Chelsea will set up ahead of today’s London Derby.
Chelsea XI (3-4-3): 1 Kepa; 28 Azpilicueta (c), 15 Zouma, 2 Rudiger; 24 James, 5 Jorginho, 7 Kante, 3 Alonso; 22 Ziyech, 11 Werner, 19 Mount.
Thomas Tuchel is likely to stick with a similar system which saw his team beat Man City in the FA Cup semi-final.
Three at the back has been a good formula for Chelsea.
Azpilicueta could come back into the starting line-up for the game and takes the captains armband.
Kante could come into the centre of midfield to help Jorginho out, meaning Mount can be pushed forward into the front three.
Werner adds some pace up front, and Havertz failed to find the back of the net in the goalless draw against Brighton.
HAMMERS’ PREDICTED LINE-UP
Here’s how I think West Ham will set up for today’s London Derby.
West Ham XI (4-2-3-1): 1 Fabianski; 5 Coufal, 23 Diop, 21 Ogbonna, 31 Johnson; 16 Noble (c), 28 Soucek; 18 Fornals, 11 Lingard, 9 Benrahma; 20 Bowen.
I’m predicting that the Hammers will change shape for this game, and my reasoning behind this is due to West Ham’s poor performance last week away at Newcastle.
West Ham started with the three at the back system with Ogbonna, Dawson and Diop as the starting three centre-backs.
But if last game proved anything, it proved that Aaron Cresswell is needed in the back three if the set-up is going to work.
The natural left-back slots into the centre of defence well, but also pushes forward and overlaps in attacking situations.
Cresswell has really good delivery, he’s comfortable on the ball, and he’s got a bit of pace about him.
And his absence takes away a key element of the Hammers’ success with the three at the back system, as well as their threat from set-pieces.
Switching to a back four allows David Moyes to add another attacker into his line-up, and Benrahma looks to be the man who’ll join the Hammers’ free-scoring frontline.
TABLE CHECK
West Ham are occupying 5th spot in the Premier League, and they’re level on points with today’s opponents Chelsea in 4th.
But goal difference separates the two sides.
Liverpool fell at the final hurdle in their game against Newcastle earlier today, with Arsenal loanee Joe Willock scoring a late, late equaliser.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
West Ham have won three of their last five home league games against Chelsea (D1 L1), as many as in their previous 14 against them.
They last won back-to-back home league games against the Blues in May 2003.
Chelsea are looking to achieve their eighth Premier League double over West Ham, something they’ve only managed as many times in the competition against Man City (10), Sunderland (8) and Tottenham (8).
GOOD AFTERNOON
And welcome to the live blog for West Ham vs Chelsea!
The two London sides clash at the London Stadium in a game that could shape the top-four race.
The Hammers have had a fine season, and they sit in 5th place behind today’s opponents Chelsea in 4th on goal difference.
And with Liverpool conceding late on against Newcastle an hour ago throwing away three points, whoever wins today’s game can go four points clear of the Premier League champions.
This game also comes after Chelsea’s failed attempt to join a breakaway ‘European Super League’, so we know who Gary Neville will be supporting!
In terms of team news, Craig Dawson misses the game through suspension after his calamitous first half in last week’s defeat at Newcastle.
The Hammers could change shape. The three at the back last week proved it doesn’t work without Aaron Cresswell.
The left-back is also a doubt for the game alongside Arthur Masuaku.
Youngster Ben Johnson is likely to keep his place on the left side of the defence.
With the change of shape, Said Benrahma could be handed a start with the Hammers going more attacking.
Declan Rice remains out with a knee injury, but the midfielder is making good progress and is ahead of schedule.
As for Chelsea, Mateo Kovacic is the only injury worry for boss Thomas Tuchel.
The teamsheets are due to be released in an hour so don’t go anywhere!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
