MATCH PREVIEW
Chelsea vs West Ham
The Blues will be looking to avoid back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season following a 4-2 drubbing at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night. A loss for Thomas Tuchel’s men would also see West Ham do the double over them for the second time in three seasons, following a 3-2 win for The Hammers back in December. The Blues will also be aiming to make it ten games unbeaten away from home in all competitions.
For West Ham things aren't as rosy. Despite progressing to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League thanks to a 3-0 win over Lyon, The Hammers league form has been shaky of late; with David Moyes’ men without a win in five in the Premier League and without a league clean sheet in six games in the Premier League. Jamaican international Michail Antonio will be looking to break his goal duck, the 32-year-old hasn’t scored since a 3-2 win at Crystal Palace on New Year's Day.
Key Player
Mason Mount
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| Photo by Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images |
The 2021/22 season has been an impressive one for Mason Mount. The 23-year-old leads both the goalscoring charts and the assist table for Chelsea with ten goals and nine assists in the Premier League so far this season. Mount is also the joint third highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League this season, with only Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Brentford’s Ivan Toney bagging more than the Chelsea midfielder (both scoring 12).
A Chelsea academy graduate Mount enjoyed loan spells at Vitesse and Derby County early in his career before breaking into the Chelsea first team under Frank Lampard in the 2019/20 season. The youngster has since helped Chelsea reach three FA Cup finals, a Champions League final and a UEFA Super Cup final with two trophies to his name at the Bridge.
The Portsmouth born midfielder represented England at five different youth levels before receiving a callup to the first team in 2019. Mount played a part in the England side that reached the Euro 2020 final last summer.
Due to Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner’s lack of goals this season (combined the pair have less than Mount in the league) any attacking threat from Chelsea is likely to come through the 23-year-old.
Jarrod Bowen
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| (Image credit: Getty) |
Just like Mount, Jarrod Bowen is the leading goal scorer as well as assister for his side, netting nine goals and picking up eight assists for West Ham in the league this season. One of those goals came in the reverse fixture back in December with Bowen bagging The Hammers second in the 3-2 win at the London Stadium.
Still only 25 years of age the Herefordshire born attacker began his career with local side Hereford United. Bowen made a handful of appearances for The Bulls before being snapped up by Championship side Hull City.
Bowen impressed massively for The Tigers being the club's top scorer in back-to-back seasons in 2017/18 and 2018/19 and also being a part of the 2018/19 Championship team of the season. It then came as no surprise when the youngster gained Premier League interest and joined West Ham in January 2020 to help the club in their fight for Premier League survival. Bowen got off to a flying start for The Hammers grabbing a debut goal in a 3-1 win over Southampton.
Last season Bowen netted eight times for West Ham and has already beaten that this season with double figures just one goal away.
Managers
Thomas Tuchel
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| Photo by Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images |
Appointed in January 2021 as Frank Lampard’s successor, Tuchel’s time in West London has so far been successful. The 48-year-old has so far guided Chelsea to UEFA Champions League and Super Cup glory as well as three trips to Wembley (two in defeat to Leicester and Liverpool respectively, with this season’s FA Cup final still to come).
Tuchel’s managerial career began with FC Augsburg II before being poached by Bundesliga side Mainz in 2009. The Germans time with Mainz was largely successful with the club enjoying Europa League football during Tuchel’s reign. Following his successful start to management Tuchel has also managed two European giants in Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.
David Moyes
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| GETTY IMAGEs |
Now in his second spell at West Ham Moyes was reappointed in December 2019 with the goal of keeping The Hammers in the Premier League. The Scotsman would guide the East London club to Premier League safety with The Irons finishing 16th in the 2019/20 season. An impressive 2020/21 saw Moyes guide West Ham to a sixth-place finish and Europa League football (Moyes’ men are currently in the semi-final of this competition).
Alongside West Ham, Moyes has also managed: Preston North End, Everton, Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland.
Recent Results
Chelsea
6-0 vs Southampton (A)
3-2 vs Real Madrid (A) (UCL)
2-0 vs Crystal Palace (N) (FA Cup)
2-4 vs Arsenal (H)
West Ham
1-1 vs Lyon (H) (UEL)
0-2 vs Brentford (A)
3-0 vs Lyon (A) (UEL)
1-1 vs Burnley (H)
Head-to-Head
Date | Home team | Score | Away team |
04.12.21 | West Ham | 3-2 | Chelsea |
24.04.21 | West Ham | 0-1 | Chelsea |
21.12.20 | Chelsea | 3-0 | West Ham |
01.07.20 | West Ham | 3-2 | Chelsea |
30.11.19 | Chelsea | 0-1 | West Ham |
Chelsea wins: 52
Draws: 22
West Ham wins: 43
By Nathan Williams
Hammers will win
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