Chelsea secured a crucial victory over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge after coming from behind in a tightly contested London derby.
Despite struggling for large portions of the game, the Blues managed to turn the tide in the second half and claim all three points.
West Ham took the lead just before halftime when Levi Colwill made a costly defensive error.
The Chelsea defender misplaced a backpass, allowing Jarrod Bowen to pounce and slot the ball past Filip Jorgensen, putting the visitors ahead at the break.
Chelsea had been lackluster in the first half, but they responded well after the interval.
Mauricio Pochettino made key substitutions that helped shift the momentum in Chelsea’s favor.
One of those changes was Pedro Neto, who made an immediate impact after coming on.
The Portuguese forward capitalized on a loose ball following a blocked shot from Enzo Fernandez and struck it past West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to bring Chelsea level.
Shortly after equalizing, Chelsea found themselves in front.
Cole Palmer, who had been relatively quiet throughout the match, attempted a shot that took a deflection off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, wrong-footing Areola and looping into the net.
Although it was likely to go down as an own goal, Palmer’s effort played a crucial role in securing the win.
Despite not being at their fluent best, Chelsea managed to see out the game and earn a valuable three points.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Filip Jorgensen – 6
Had some nervous moments but overall did enough to keep Chelsea in the game.
Reece James – 6
Put in some excellent crosses, though his teammates failed to make the most of them.
Taken off before the hour mark.
Tosin Adarabioyo – 7
A strong defensive display, showing confidence in playing progressive passes.
Made a vital block in stoppage time to deny Mohammed Kudus an equalizer.
Levi Colwill – 3
Endured a difficult match, with his mistake leading to West Ham’s goal. Struggled defensively against Kudus.
Moises Caicedo – 5
Conceded several unnecessary fouls, frustrating the fans. Managed a few interceptions but was not at his best.
Enzo Fernandez – 6
Tried to push the team forward by creating opportunities, while others were more conservative in possession.
Noni Madueke – 5
Unable to replicate his recent goal-scoring form and was substituted after 60 minutes.
Cole Palmer – 7
Had a quiet game but played a decisive role in Chelsea’s winner, even though his shot was deflected.
Jadon Sancho – 5
Failed to make a significant impact and was replaced early in the second half.
Nicolas Jackson – 5
Struggled to make an impression in his 52 minutes on the pitch.
Picked up a knock that may have affected his performance.
Substitutes:
Pedro Neto (on for Sancho, 52′) – 8
Changed the game after coming on, scoring Chelsea’s equalizer. A strong performance.
Marc Guiu (on for Jackson, 52′) – 6
Put in a hard-working shift but had limited involvement.
Malo Gusto (on for James, 61′) – 6
Had a solid 30-minute cameo, maintaining stability on the right flank.
Christopher Nkunku (on for Madueke, 61′) – 6
Played centrally, allowing Palmer to move wide. Displayed some good touches.
Trevoh Chalobah (on for Palmer, 90′) – N/A
Came on late to help Chelsea see out the win.
In a post-match revelation, Cole Palmer appeared to express his frustration with a teammate, stating that he had repeatedly told the coach he did not want to play with him.
Palmer hinted that the player’s poor performance almost cost Chelsea the match, noting that he completed fewer passes than goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and was given a 1/10 rating for his display.
