Chelsea secured a crucial 2-1 comeback victory over West Ham United at Stamford Bridge, moving them back into the Premier League’s top four. Goals from substitutes Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer, whose cross was deflected in by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, overturned Jarrod Bowen’s first-half opener to give Chelsea a vital win.
West Ham, under the management of former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, took the lead in the 43rd minute when Bowen capitalized on a misplaced backpass from Levi Colwill. However, Chelsea responded strongly in the second half, with Neto equalizing before Palmer’s cross deflected in off Wan-Bissaka to secure the victory.
Chelsea’s second-half performance was a marked improvement on their first-half display. The introduction of Neto and Marc Guiu injected energy and attacking impetus into the team, with Neto scoring the equalizing goal and playing a key role in the build-up to the winner.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expressed his relief at securing the victory, highlighting the importance of the win in the context of their recent struggles and the race for Champions League qualification.
“We are there and hopefully we can be there until the end,” Maresca said. “Playing this kind of game in February, where we are still there is an important statement. It was a good weekend for us in terms of [other] results and we knew today was even better.”
Potter, who was returning to Stamford Bridge for the first time since being sacked by Chelsea in 2022, will be disappointed with the defeat. Despite a valiant effort from his West Ham side, they were unable to hold onto their lead and ultimately left empty-handed.
“We felt a little bit unlucky with the first goal – we thought there might have been a foul leading up to it,” Potter said. “Sometimes you need those things to go your way but it wasn’t meant to be.”
This victory moves Chelsea into fourth place in the Premier League, two points clear of Manchester City and Newcastle United. They are now in a strong position to secure Champions League qualification for next season.
West Ham, meanwhile, remain in 15th place and face a battle to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
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