Key events
I’ll leave you with John Brewin’s match report from the London Stadium. Thanks for reading.
Also a 3-0 defeat for West Ham’s women today. Here’s the story of their loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford, courtesy of Tom Garry.
Rather strange that Michael Jackson got a mention on this blog before kick-off and Nicolas Jackson scored twice and then celebrated with a Michael Jackson dance. Think it was the Thriller one that Lenny Henry did but changed the words to “Aston Villa”. Villa at home to Wolves today by the way.
A reminder that we have six 3pm kick-offs in the Premier League this afternoon. Scott Murray will guide you through them.
Joe Cole calls it a “fantastic performance” from Chelsea. He continues: “They look like a club moving in the right direction. I’ve not seen Chelsea fans that happy in a while.”
FULL TIME! West Ham 0-3 Chelsea
And it’s all over. It was only going one way really after Nicolas Jackson put Chelsea ahead after just four minutes. And any hopes of a turnaround were snuffed out completely when Cole Palmer lashed one in straight after the break to make it 3-0.
A comprehensive win for Chelsea who climb to the giddy heights of second place. But trouble for West Ham and Lopetegui. Three home defeats to start his tenure is the stuff of nightmares.
90+3 Action at both ends. Kudus has a shot blocked before Joao Felix pulls a right-footer from the edge of the box not far wide.
90+2 min A yellow card for Soler who mistimes his tackle and catches Cucurella high on the inside of his knee. A painful one. But no red card.
90+1 min We’re into the first of four added minutes. Tubes filling up outside.
89 min Lucy Ward on co-comms gives the man-of-the-match to two-goal Nicolas Jackson.
88 min To quote Clinton Baptiste, spirits fading now. In terms of West Ham even getting a consolation goal, that is.
86 min Caicedo blocks Soler’s shot on the edge of the box. The Chelsea midfield holder has been strong today.
85 min Just scruffy bits and pieces from West Ham now in an attacking sense. Nothing clear-cut. Chelsea will want to keep hold of this clean sheet.
83 min Dewsbury-Hall comes on for Fernandez as Chelsea see the game out.
82 min A frustrated Antonio clatters into Caicedo and is booked. That’s six yellows now I think.
81 min West Ham fans are leaving in their droves although heads are cocked back towards the pitch when a cross comes in for Bowen. He can’t get on the end of it though and the march towards exit signs continues.
80 min The game moves into the final 10 minutes. West Ham not making any real impression now although Sanchez has to palm a Wan-Bissaka cross away. Summing the afternoon up, several West Ham players leave the loose ball for each other.
78 min Neto does take a conventional corner this time but it’s headed away. Lots of West Ham fans looking bemused. Telling body language. Furrowed brows.
77 min This is clearly no good for West Ham: 0-3 at home never is. But there’s scope here for a pummelling if Chelsea keep pushing. A 5-0 perhaps.
76 min Yellow card for Kilman for a hack on the slippery Joao Felix.
75 min Chelsea can’t be bothered to send corners in and instead work the ball around. It almost pays off but Areola makes one of those eye-catching scooping saves on the goalline to keep Nkunku’s header out from six yards out.
73 min Antonio tries a little near-post flick at a cross but it’s half-blocked and all the power goes. Chelsea break and add to their corner count.
71 min Sub time again for West Ham. Emerson and Paqueta go off and the Brazilian pair are replaced by Cresswell and debutant Andy Irving. The latter has a shot straight off the bat but it’s easy for Sanchez.
70 min Chelsea waste the corner and then Cucurella absolutely hacks Kudus to the floor. It’s a seven-roller. Perhaps more but the camera came away from him.
69 min The Chelsea corner count is rising fast. Neto’s pace is frightening and Mavropanos has to stretch every sinew to deflect his cross behind.
68 min Chelsea take a short corner this time which comes to nothing. At the other end, Kudus chips a cross into the area but Sanchez gobbles it up. Two more subs on the way for West Ham.
67 min Chelsea win a corner from a deflected Caicedo shot. Neto comes across to take it and Areola has to punch clear from under his crossbar. The Chelsea substitutes are hungry and keen to make an impression. The visitors win another corner.
65 min Neto makes his first burst down the left, showing a clean pair of heels to the West Ham defence. The ball breaks back to Fernandez and that’s so nearly the fourth as the side-netting ripples from his shot from 20 yards or so. Chelsea are looking hungry for more.
63 min Maresca takes off goalscorers Jackson and Palmer, the latter looking a little surprised. Joao Felix and Nkunku are pretty decent replacements. The players are certainly there for Chelsea if they can be co-ordinated correctly. And they are today.
62 min Most of Antonio’s runs are buccaneering and this one earns a corner. Sanchez punches Bowen’s delivery away and Chelsea burst clear once more. Here we go again … is this the fourth? … not quite as Madueke slams a left-foot shot too near Areola.
60 min Chelsea are finding it so easy to get from one penalty box to the other. Palmer tries to thread a ball through but Jackson and Madueke rather get in each other’s way. A reprieve for West Ham this time.
59 min Lopetegui continues to look like man ready to have a fierce row and perhaps even a fight in a car park. The fourth official is getting it in the ear. West Ham win a corner down the left.
