West Ham vs Chelsea LIVE Premier League team news, line-ups and more today
Premier League leaders Chelsea head east today visiting high-flying West Ham United in a tricky-looking fixture. The Blues are without several first-team options due to injury and hold just a one-point lead at the top of the table, making every game a must-win encounter for them if they want to end a five-year wait for the title. The Hammers are fourth, but a recent drop-off has seen them take just one point from the last three matches since the international break.
Manager David Moyes thinks it’ll click soon isn’t overly concerned at recent defeats as he wants the team to test themselves against the best. “We’re playing the Champions League winners. Last week we played the Champions League finalists as well. I said a few weeks ago, I really want us to play the best teams and see how we do and see where we are at, it is the only way to find out,” he said.
Thomas Tuchel expects a couple of players to return after injury for this fixture and noted that on-loan midfielder Saul could feature at wing-back in the coming weeks, having struggled to get game time in the middle of the park this season. Follow all the latest team news and match updates below:
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West Ham vs Chelsea
Mason Mount was another Chelsea player to make a decisive contribution in the win at Watford, with the England international scoring one and setting up the other in the 2-1 win.
Chelsea have won eight of the nine matches Mount has started in so far this season, drawing the other, while the club’s win rate drops to 46 percent when he starts on the bench but doesn’t feature.
“It’s very hard to drop him because even when he has not-so-good games, you still always get full energy, positivity and a wonderful approach to the game,” Tuchel said.
“He is very passionate and has almost a deep love with the game, always ready to give everything to contribute fully. That’s why it is hard to drop him but sometimes we do.
“He came back from an injury and we felt him a bit tired, then he also had his tooth surgery so sometimes we have to and it’s the same criteria for everybody, to fight for their place. This is where we are.”
West Ham vs Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel has rewarded Hakim Ziyech for his recent contributions with a start at West Ham. The Moroccan has found form after an interrupted start to the season, with two goals and two assists in his last five club matches in all competitions and Tuchel praised the forward when looking ahead to the trip to West Ham yesterday.
“I like him. I can feel it that he feels better now. It took him a long time. He was always very ambitious with his shoulder injury but I could feel that the 100 per cent he could give was not the 100 per cent of his top level. Now he feels much better and I can feel it.
“He smiles, he’s happy, he is decisive. He had huge influence now from the bench against Leicester and in Watford. We had two matches in between those when he played from the start, against Juventus and Man United.
“Hakim is in a good shape, is in good form and a good state of mind.”
West Ham vs Chelsea: Team news
As expected, Reece James and Jorginho return for Chelsea, while Thomas Tuchel brings Hakim Ziyech into his front three after scoring the winner as a substitute against Watford. He joins Mason Mount and Kai Havertz – and that means Romelu Lukaku has to still do with a place on the bench.
West Ham make two changes from the 1-1 draw with Brighton and it looks like David Moyes has opted for a change in formation, too, matching up with Chelsea’s system. Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma drop out as defender Issa Diop and Manuel Lanzini come in.
West Ham vs Chelsea: Confirmed line-ups
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Diop, Dawson, Zouma, Johnson; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Lanzini; Antonio
Chelsea: Mendy; Christensen, Silva, Rudiger; James, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Alonso; Mount, Havertz, Ziyech
West Ham vs Chelsea: Team news
Chelsea have been handed a boost with Reece James and Jorginho set to return to their starting line-up for the trip to West Ham. The pair was absent due to injury on Wednesday as Thomas Tuchel’s side scraped past Watford at Vicarage Road – but manager Thomas Tuchel has hailed their returns.
“It’s massive, because Reece is the specialist on the right, and Jorgi is the guy left from Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and him from the three on whose shoulders we put the central role over a very long period now,” Tuchel said.
Chelsea are still without sidelined quartet Trevoh Chalobah, Mateo Kovacic N’Golo Kante and Ben Chilwell for the east London trip, while Romelu Lukaku is yet to start since returning from an ankle injury.
Confirmed line-ups are five minutes away.
West Ham vs Chelsea
Premier League leaders Chelsea head east today visiting high-flying West Ham United in a tricky-looking fixture. The Blues are without several first-team options due to injury and hold just a one-point lead at the top of the table, making every game a must-win encounter for them if they want to end a five-year wait for the title. The Hammers are fourth, but a recent drop-off has seen them take just one point from the last three matches since the international break.
Manager David Moyes thinks it’ll click soon isn’t overly concerned at recent defeats as he wants the team to test themselves against the best. “We’re playing the Champions League winners. Last week we played the Champions League finalists as well. I said a few weeks ago, I really want us to play the best teams and see how we do and see where we are at, it is the only way to find out,” he said.
Thomas Tuchel expects a couple of players to return after injury for this fixture and noted that on-loan midfielder Saul could feature at wing-back in the coming weeks, having struggled to get game time in the middle of the park this season.
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