Chelsea's quest for Premier League dominance continues as they prepare to face West Ham United at the London Stadium this Saturday. The Blues, under new manager Enzo Maresca, have made an impressive start to the season, amassing seven points from their first four games. West Ham, however, have struggled to find their footing, managing only four points in the same period.
Recent form and matchup history
West Ham's latest outing ended in a 1-1 draw against Fulham, with Danny Ings netting a last-minute equaliser. Despite this result, the Hammers are yet to secure a home victory this season, having fallen to both Aston Villa and Manchester City at the London Stadium.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have been formidable on the road. Their recent away victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth have boosted their confidence, with Christopher Nkunku scoring the decisive goal in their 1-0 win at Bournemouth.
The Blues have historically held the upper hand in this fixture, claiming 30 wins out of 56 Premier League meetings with West Ham. However, the Hammers have shown resilience at home against Chelsea in recent years, winning two and drawing one of their last three matches at the London Stadium. This suggests that Saturday's game could be a closely fought battle.
Team news and predicted lineups
West Ham are grappling with injury concerns as they prepare for the match. Emerson Palmieri and Niclas Fullkrug are both doubtful, which may prompt manager Julen Lopetegui to deploy Lucas Paqueta in a creative role. Michail Antonio is expected to spearhead the attack.
West Ham's predicted lineup: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Coufal, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus, Antonio.
Chelsea will be without their captain, Reece James, due to injury. However, they've received a boost with several players returning to training. Enzo Fernandez and Malo Gusto are likely to start, while Jadon Sancho could make his full Chelsea debut after an impressive first appearance.
Chelsea's predicted lineup: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Nkunku.
Where to watch West Ham vs Chelsea?
Fans worldwide can catch the action on various platforms. In the UK, TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate will broadcast the match, with streaming available on discovery+. USA Network and Universo will air the game in the USA, with streaming options on Fubo, Universo NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, and the NBC Sports app/site.
Canadian viewers can stream the match on Fubo, while Australian fans can tune in to Optus Sport. In India, Star Sports Select 1 will broadcast the game, with streaming available on JioTV and Disney+ Hotstar.
Score prediction
As both teams aim to climb the league table, this London derby promises to be an exciting encounter. West Ham will be determined to secure their first home win of the season, while Chelsea's strong away form gives them a slight edge.
Given the attacking capabilities of both sides, a high-scoring match is expected. Chelsea are tipped to edge out West Ham in a 3-2 thriller.