Date: Saturday 31st
January 2026
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Would
you believe it? Chelsea finally decided to show some character for a big night
in Naples — just when we thought we’d be on for another European wobble!
Champions League last
16 ticket safely tucked away, and it’s straight back to Stamford Bridge —
hardly time for a celebratory pint. The Hammers are next up, and just as we’re
hoping for a nice, simple Saturday, they’ve remembered how to win. Typical,
isn’t it? Three wins on the trot, swaggering in like they’re the East London
Galácticos. Meanwhile, we’ve stitched together five wins in six, but let’s be
honest, it’s not quite been silky Blues — more like a half-dipped Rich Tea: it’ll
do the job, but don’t go dunking it too long or it’ll crumble.
Last time out, we
absolutely walloped West Ham, but — to be fair — they had Graham Potter in the
dugout, and their defence was about as sturdy as a garden fence after a windy
night. Now it’s Nuno prowling the touchline, probably wishing he was back in Portugal
tucking into a pastel de nata rather than fighting the drop. They’ve picked up
a few results, but let’s not kid ourselves, they’re still clinging to 18 th
place like that one mate who won’t leave the pub at closing time. Desperate for
points, desperate for anything — it’ll be more scrap than samba.
So, forget European glamour,
it’s back to good old Premier League slog. Heads out the clouds, boots on the
deck, and let’s try not to crash down to earth with a bump!
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into
today’s game, Liam Rosenior, says “For me tomorrow is the biggest game of
the season, it’s very simple. I’m going to find out so much. We have really
good players, but if you want to be a consistent winning team, these are the
games where you have to step forward and not be complacent. After an amazing
win in Italy, to come back three days later, I want to see the consistency
levels of the group. That’s why for me this is a massive mark of where we’re
really at. The players are brilliant to work with, I think they’re really
engaged, they’re showing real belief in what we’re trying to do together,’ he
said. ‘But I think winning helps your message as a coach and we have to keep
doing our very best to win games.”
On West
Ham, Rosenior says “I’m not surprised Nuno has put his stamp on the team. All
of his teams have always been really organised without the ball, whether that’s
in a 4-4-2 or a 5-4-1 shape, and they’ve always been very good in transition
moments. [Jarrod] Bowen and [Crysencio] Summerville are real threats for them
and that’s something we’ve spoken about.”
West Ham
manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, meanwhile, says “They [Chelsea] have a lot of
talent. They are world champions, so I don’t think anyone can say they’re
inexperienced. They have brought players in with quality for a long time now. They
have a lot of talent. The players, the way they played against a really good
side [Napoli]. Liam is doing well. They have had good results and the
performances have been good.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo, Tosin Adarabioyo
(hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspended) all remain
out.
For West Ham, Lukasz
Fabianski (back) is West Ham’s only injury concern.
TEAMS
CHELSEA
(Possible line-up): Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Fofana,
Cucurella; James, Caicedo; Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho; Pedro
WEST HAM (Possible line-up): Areola; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Diouf; Bowen,
Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville; Pablo; Castellanos
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 2-1 West Ham (3rd
February 2025)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: LDDLWW
WEST HAM: LDLLWW
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea
have won their last four Premier League games against West Ham
- West Ham have won just one of their last
19 Premier League away games against Chelsea
- Chelsea have scored 109 goals in 59
Premier League games against West Ham, their second-highest tally against an
opponent after Sp*rs
- West
Ham won their last London derby (against Sp*rs)
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-0 West Ham
