A thrilling London derby is on the cards in the Premier League as Chelsea, managed by Mauricio Pochettino, host West Ham United at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s aim to capitalize on derby win
Chelsea will play their second consecutive home derby fixture, hoping to build on their impressive 2-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur. Goals from Trevoh Chalobah and Nicholas Jackson helped the Blues keep their European qualification hopes alive. Despite a challenging and inconsistent season, Chelsea are making progress in their final few matches to secure a spot in Europe.
West Ham’s European dream fading
Meanwhile, West Ham United’s last outing resulted in a thrilling 2-2 draw at home against Liverpool, with goals from Jarred Bowen and Michail Antonio ensuring that the Jurgen Klopp-managed team had to settle for sharing the spoils. However, after their successive appearances in European competitions, they are on the verge of missing out on securing a spot in Europe next season. This comes as David Moyes’s managerial term at the club is set to conclude this summer.
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The UEFA Europa League champions, currently placed 9th, are one spot below Chelsea, trailing by 2 points after having played one more match. Conversely, the Blues are entering this meeting with a significant advantage, having only lost once in their last 17 Premier League games against the Irons. The hosts currently occupy the 8th spot on the points table.
Earlier this season, during their previous league encounter at London Stadium, West Ham celebrated securing three points with a convincing 3-1 win over Chelsea in August 2023. Regardless of the odds and past records, both sides possess the caliber necessary to make their mark and claim bragging rights in the English capital in the reverse fixture.
WHEN & WHERE?
Date: Sunday, May 5, 2024,
Time: 2:00 PM BST
Venue: Stamford Bridge
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Andy Madley.
Assistants: Harry Lennard and Nick Hopton.
Fourth official: Darren England.
VAR: Peter Bankes.
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes.
TEAM NEWS
The hosts are among the teams that have suffered the most injuries this season, which has sorely impacted their outcomes and overall performance. Despite investing heavily in notable signings, the Argentine manager has been forced to work with a limited squad.
Coming into this fixture, it will be a similar story for the Blues, who continue to be without 12 key players. The lengthy list includes Thiago Silva, Reece James, Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernandez, Lesley Ugochukwu, Ben Chilwell, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, and Robert Sanchez.
Nonetheless, they will receive a sigh of relief as Christopher Nkunku and Levi Colwill, as the duo recently returned to training earlier this week, might potentially mark their return to the bench. Both players missed the cut against the Spurs on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the visitors could find three of their key players unfit for the trip to Stamford Bridge for the derby clash. West Ham’s young midfielder, George Earthy, will remain sidelined due to a severe head injury sustained during the home game against Fulham. Additionally, the defensive duo, Dinos Mavropanos and Nayef Aguerd, will be assessed before the trip but are more likely to be left out.
PRE-MATCH TACTICAL ANALYSIS
As the 2023–24 season nears its conclusion, Chelsea, under the management of the former Spurs boss, have shown notable improvements. The Blues have picked up 11 points from their last six league fixtures, suffering only a single defeat—a 5-0 demolition by their North London rivals Arsenal, which marked their worst-ever defeat to the Gunners.
Moreover, they have already conceded 59 goals this season, the most since the 1996/97 campaign. Since that defeat, they have bounced back, securing a draw and a win as they head into this Sunday’s encounter.
The hosts are expected to maintain their winning formula following their latest home success, deploying a 4-2-3-1 formation with Djordje Petrovic guarding the goal. The 20-year-old full-back, Alfie Gilchrist, having come through the youth ranks, will continue on the right back after an impressive outing in the last game.
Alongside him, Trevoh Chalobah, another star performer, will team up with Benoît Badiashile and Marc Cucurella, who will play left back. In the double pivot, the formidable pairing of Conor Gallagher and Moisés Caicedo will dictate the tempo of the game. The midfield trio consists of Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer in the middle, with Mykhaylo Mudryk on the left wing. Nicholas Jackson will be on striking duty.
Managed by veteran manager David Moyes, the Hammers are unlikely to make any changes to the first eleven from the Liverpool game. As they chase crucial points in a tricky away outing, they aim to make a last-ditch effort to finish in the top seven. The anticipated 4-2-3-1 formation will feature Alphonse Areola in goal, along with Vladimir Coufal and Kurt Zouma.
Following uncertainty over Mavropanos’s injury, Angelo Ogbonna was expected to retain his place alongside fellow Italian Emerson to complete the backline. In midfield, Edson Álvarez and Tomas Soucek will act as the double pivot, sitting behind the front three of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, and Mohamed Kudus. Leading the line-up as a striker will be Michail Antonio.
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KEY PLAYERS
Cole Palmer
The 22-year-old English sensation, Cole Jermaine Palmer, has proven to be the most successful signing Chelsea has made in recent history. The attacking midfielder’s influence on the team is undeniable. Excelling in every aspect of the forward role—from creating chances and providing assists to scoring goals—he accounts for 33% of Chelsea’s goals in the Premier League this season.
Palmer has been involved in 38 goals in 44 appearances and scored 20 league goals himself, as this tally ties him with Newcastle United’s Aleksander Isak and trails his former teammate Erling Haaland by just two goals in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.
Jarred Bowen
Another English international, Jarred Bowen, is having a tremendous campaign and is the standout player for the Hammers. Demonstrating remarkable consistency and serving as a trailblazing force on the right flank, the forward has played a pivotal role in driving their attack forward.
The 27-year-old has made 42 appearances this season, scoring 20 goals and providing 10 assists across all competitions. Notably, Bowen has found the back of the net 16 times in the Premier League alone. With a conversion rate of 18.82%, he will be a player to watch in the upcoming match against Chelsea.
