Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
2024/25 English Premier League
Matchday 24
Chelsea v West Ham United
Stamford Bridge
London, England
Monday, 3 February 2025
Kick-off is at 22h00
Chelsea will be determined to get their
Premier League top-four challenge back on track when they entertain West Ham in a London derby at Stamford Bridge on Monday, February 3.
The Blues were Liverpool's closest rivals at Christmas after embarking on a nine-match unbeaten run, but they've struggled for results since then, winning just one of their next six encounters.
A 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on January 26 saw Enzo Maresca's side slip down to sixth in the standings, although they are just one point outside the CAF Champions League places.
The Citizens moved up to fourth spot and Newcastle also leapfrogged the West Londoners into fifth position courtesy of a 3-1 victory over rock-bottom Southampton on January 25.
The Hammers' fortunes are starting to improve under Graham Potter, who has picked four points from his first three games at the helm.
A 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on January 26 saw them bounce back from Potter's first loss - 2-0 against Crystal Palace - as they went level with the Eagles (13th) on 27 points in 14th place.
Image Source: Alamy Stock Photo
Chelsea continue to be without Wesley Fofana, Omari Kellyman, Benoit Badiashile and Romeo Lavia (all thigh), although the latter two are closing in on their comebacks. Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended.
West Ham could welcome back Jarrod Bowen (ankle) and Crysencio Summerville (thigh), while Konstantinos Mavropanos returns from suspension, but Michail Antonio, Jean-Clair Todibo and Niclas Fullkrug remain unavailable.
Maresca believes his team, the youngest in the top flight, is making strides despite results not going their way of late, insisting his players are learning with each game they play.
"In my opinion, we are a better team that one month ago or two months ago because in this kind of moment, these kind of games, for sure they are going to make us better because we need to live this experience," the Italian said.
"I said two weeks ago, from now on, we can be third, we can be fourth, fifth or sixth... the games until the end [of the season] now can change [our position] a little bit. The good thing is that we are focused and we are trying to improve game after game."
Potter insisted there were plenty of positives to take from the stalemate with the Villans following an improved second-half display from the Hammers after being under the cosh early on.
"We're really happy. It was a really positive performance. For the first 15 minutes, we were up against it but, apart from that, I thought we settled into the game well and attacked well," he told Sky Sports.
"We played with personality, effort, created some chances in the second half and we're probably disappointed to come away with a point. We struggled at the start because we went a goal down early and with the crowd, it can get quite tough for us but we managed it quite well.
"At half-time, we wanted to be a bit more aggressive in the wide positions, try to get in behind them a bit more, which I think the boys did. There were lots of positives throughout the game."
Head-to-Head (Last Five Premier League Meetings)
Matches - 5
Chelsea wins - 3
West Ham wins - 1
Draws - 1
Premier League Matchday 24 fixtures:
Saturday, February 1
14h30: Nottingham Forest v Brighton & Hove Albion
17h00: Bournemouth v Liverpool
17h00: Everton v Leicester City
17h00: Ipswich Town v Southampton
17h00: Newcastle United v Fulham
19h30: Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa
Sunday, February 2
16h00: Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur
16h00: Manchester United v Crystal Palace
18h30: Arsenal v Manchester City
Monday, February 3
22h00: Chelsea v West Ham United
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