Chelsea came from behind to rout West Ham 5–1 on Friday night, heaping pressure on former Blues manager Graham Potter just two games into the new Premier League season.
Potter, who took charge of West Ham in January, has now won just five of his 21 matches in charge. His team’s dismal start to the new campaign, coming off a 3–0 defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland last weekend, continued with another heavy loss at home.
West Ham briefly took the lead through a stunning long-range strike from Lucas Paquetá, but Chelsea responded emphatically. João Pedro equalised with the first of three goals from set-pieces before Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernández put the visitors firmly in control.
Moisés Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah added two more in the second half, capitalising on a nightmare Premier League debut for new West Ham goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
The win sent Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table for the first time since December 2021.
There was early concern for Chelsea as Cole Palmer was withdrawn from the starting lineup during the warm-up with a precautionary muscle issue. His absence opened the door for 18-year-old Brazilian sensation Estevão to make his first Premier League start.
Despite the spotlight on the teenager, it was another Brazilian who lit up the match early on. Paquetá, recently cleared of spot-fixing allegations by an independent regulatory commission, marked his return with an emotional celebration after firing a sensational strike into the top corner from distance. The 27-year-old pointed repeatedly to the badge on his chest, acknowledging the club’s support during his turbulent period.
But West Ham’s lead lasted just nine minutes. Chelsea equalised through João Pedro, who nodded in Marc Cucurella’s flick-on from a corner—his first Premier League goal for the club. Pedro, who scored three goals en route to Chelsea’s Club World Cup title last month, is quickly becoming a fan favourite.
The Hammers thought they had restored their lead through Niclas Füllkrug, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check. Moments later, Neto converted Pedro’s pass at the far post to make it 2–1.
Estevão then made a statement of his own, using his blistering pace to cut through the West Ham defence before setting up Fernández for a composed finish on 34 minutes.
The hosts, already on the back foot, suffered further damage from two costly mistakes by Hermansen. The £20 million signing from Leicester failed to claim a corner, allowing Caicedo to poke home from close range. Moments later, the Danish goalkeeper flapped at another set piece, and Chalobah was on hand to finish and extend Chelsea’s lead to 5–1.
By then, thousands of West Ham fans had begun heading for the exits with over half an hour still to play. Those who stayed voiced their frustration with boos at full-time.
For Potter, who was dismissed by Chelsea in April 2023 after just seven months in charge, the result only deepens concerns about his early tenure at West Ham. He’ll need a swift turnaround to win back the confidence of fans—and possibly the club’s hierarchy—after a disastrous start to the season.
