Sunday’s headline Premier League action comes in the late afternoon on Merseyside, but before then there are three matches with significant ramifications in both halves of the table, starting with the race for European places.
West Ham United head to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea, with neither side in great form in league play recently but both having a vested interest in cup competitions – and still with Europe next season to think about, too. The Blues can open a seven-point gap down to fifth if they win, which would be a massive step to assuring themselves of Champions League football in 2022/23 – but the Hammers aren’t out of the running for Europa League places yet and can leapfrog Manchester United into sixth if they take victory themselves.
Burnley can climb out of the relegation zone if they win on home soil against a Wolves outfit who themselves could go level with the Hammers if results go their way, while both the Seagulls and Saints are still aiming for a top-half finish to end the campaign on a positive note. Follow all the team news, build-up and latest scores from all three games below:
Premier League on Sunday
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Chelsea host West Ham, Burnley face Wolves and Brighton play Southampton – all 2pm KO
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Chelsea XI: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek; Kante, Jorginho, Alonso; Mount, Havertz, Werner.
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West Ham XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Cresswell, Johnson, Masuaku; Noble, Soucek; Fornals, Benrahma, Yarmolenko.
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Latest: Burnley 1-0 Wolves (Vydra, 62′)
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Latest: Brighton 2-2 Southampton (Welbeck 6’, Salisu OG 44’) (Ward-Prowse 45+4’, 54′)
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87’ – Jorginho sees penalty saved after Dawson sent-off for foul on Lukaku
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90’ – Pulisic nets late winner with smart finish
Burnley 1-0 Wolves
15:52 , Dylan Terry
Burnley have beaten Wolves and move out of the relegation zone! Everton are now two points adrift of Burnley ahead of the Merseyside derby at 4.30pm.
Chelsea 1-0 West Ham
15:52 , Dylan Terry
90+3 mins: Chelsea knocking the ball around confidently now as they see out this one against the tired 1 men of West Ham.
Chelsea 1-0 West Ham
15:51 , Dylan Terry
90+1 mins: Mount fires a dipping shot narrowly over the bar. Chelsea have woken up in stoppage time at the end of the match.
There will be a minimum of four minutes added time.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 West Ham (Pulisic, 90)
15:49 , Dylan Terry
90 mins: Right at the death!
Mount finds Alonso down the left-hand side and he pulls it back for Pulisic who rolls the ball into the far corner!
Relief for Chelsea and Jorginho in particular.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:48 , Dylan Terry
89 mins: So after all of that – a red card and penalty – it remains goalless.
What a bizarre end to a hapless match.
MISSED PENALTY! Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:46 , Dylan Terry
87 mins: OH MY WORD!
RED CARD! Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:46 , Dylan Terry
85 mins: As expected, Craig Dawson is sent off. What a real, real shame. The centre-back who has been sensational all afternoon has now been dismissed.
And with Zouma, Diop and Ogbonna already on the sidelines, this is another selection headache for Moyes at the heart of his defence – in the Premier League.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:45 , Dylan Terry
85 mins: VAR also looking at whether it was a clear goalscoring opportunity. It was. That means Dawson’s yellow card is going to be upgraded to a red here. Almost certainly.
PENALTY! Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:44 , Dylan Terry
85 mins: PENALTY TO CHELSEA!
Thiago Silva flicks on a long ball and Lukaku is through on goal before Dawson pulls him down. Nailed on penalty.
Shame for Dawson. He has probably been the best player on the pitch.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:43 , Dylan Terry
84 mins: Azpilicueta sends a cross in from the right and Lukaku gets there ahead of Dawson before heading against the West Ham defender’s chest and out for a corner.
The set-piece comes to nothing, though. It’s all the way back to Mendy.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:41 , Dylan Terry
82 mins: Alonso goes into the book for a reckless elbow into the head of Soucek while challenging for a high ball. Chelsea clearly getting frustrated now.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:39 , Dylan Terry
80 mins: You get the feeling there is going to be at least one more big chance in this game. The momentum now seems to be with Chelsea but West Ham have the threat of the break through a fresh Jarrod Bowen.
Ziyech tries to find Lukaku with a cross into the middle but gets it horribly wrong and West Ham have themselves a goal kick.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:38 , Dylan Terry
79 mins: My mistake, Havertz went off rather than Mount. I know that because Mount just fired a long-range strike over the top.
Meanwhile, West Ham make another change. Manuel Lanzini comes on for Said Benrahma.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:35 , Dylan Terry
77 mins: Werner, Loftus-Cheek and Havertz off for Lukaku, Ziyech and Pulisic. Major shake-up with 13 minutes remaining.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:34 , Dylan Terry
76 mins: Havertz escapes down the right but Johnson gets there first to turn his cross away.
Then Kante receives the ball inside the box but his shot is blocked.
Here come three changes for Chelsea…
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:33 , Dylan Terry
75 mins: Another chance for Chelsea!
Mount’s initial corner comes back out to him. He lays it off to Alonso who sends the cross into the box and it falls kindly for Werner who flicks it towards the top corner but Fabianski makes the save.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:32 , Dylan Terry
73 mins: Jarrod Bowen is on for Andriy Yarmolenko. David Moyes not settling for a point here today.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:31 , Dylan Terry
72 mins: Chelsea finally beginning to open West Ham up!
Mount has the time to send a cross into the middle from the left-hand side and somehow it evades Werner, Havertz and Loftus-Cheek!
Not sure how that managed to miss three Chelsea players and four West Ham defenders.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:30 , Dylan Terry
70 mins: MASSIVE CHANCES FOR BOTH!
Yarmolenko storms down the right, cuts inside and rifles an effort off the body of Mendy. He has a second bite at it but Mendy is equal to it once more.
Then Chelsea break and Mount’s fierce effort is superbly blocked AGAIN by Dawson before Werner’s close range follow-up is fired into the side-netting.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:27 , Dylan Terry
68 mins: Fornals gallops forward and tries to slide a pass into Yarmolenko but he puts way too much on the through ball and Mendy can gather.
Thiago Silva then storms through the middle of the pitch before unleashing a shot which cannons off Werner in an offside position.
That. Sort. Of. Game.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:24 , Dylan Terry
66 mins: Chelsea are knocking the ball around on the halfway line but have very little desire to move it forward with any conviction.
Eventually they lose it and Cresswell wins a throw-in off Havertz.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:23 , Dylan Terry
64 mins: It seems like this is the only one of the three games this afternoon where even the players are uninterested.
Essentially, nothing has happened in the last five minutes.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:21 , Dylan Terry
62 mins: David Moyes is the first manager to roll the dice with a substitution. Declan Rice has replaced Mark Noble and picks up the armband as well.
Burnley 1-0 Wolves
15:21 , Dylan Terry
Massive goal in the relegation battle! Matej Vydra has given Burnley the lead over Wolves and as it stands the Clarets are out of the relegation zone, two points above Everton!
Huge.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:19 , Dylan Terry
60 mins: Chelsea committing a few more men forward now but they still need to up the tempo if they are going to find a breakthrough.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:19 , Dylan Terry
59 mins: Chalobah tries his luck from distance and Fabianski is equal to it with a smart save.
You feel there might be a goal in this game now. That was NOT the case in the first half.
Brighton 2-2 Southampton
15:18 , Dylan Terry
James Ward-Prowse has levelled things up at the Amex! It’s 2-2 and the England international has got both of them.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:16 , Dylan Terry
56 mins: Chance for West Ham!
Johnson sends a brilliant pass down the line for Yarmolenko. The Ukrainian cuts inside and could go for goal himself but instead lays it off to Soucek whose shot is blocked by a last-ditch Chelsea body.
Big opportunity for the visitors.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:13 , Dylan Terry
54 mins: The Chelsea supporters are in fine voice for the first time this afternoon.
Werner cuts inside and tries his luck but yet again Dawson is in the way to block it before it can reach Fabianski. Sensational defending.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:12 , Dylan Terry
52 mins: Mount flashes a dangerous swinging cross into the box but no Chelsea player is attacking it and Fabianski allows it to drift beyond his far post.
Chelsea come again as Loftus-Cheek nods it down for Werner but Dawson does exceptionally well to block his goalbound effort.
Suddenly the crowd are sparked into life. Cresswell wins the ball with a sliding challenge on Kante inside the box as the fans appeal for a penalty. It wasn’t.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:09 , Dylan Terry
50 mins: West Ham need to have the belief that they can go on and win this game. Granted they are not playing Rice, Bowen and Antonio, but Chelsea are still there for the taking.
The European champions are half asleep and, if they’re not careful, are in danger of a fourth straight home defeat.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:07 , Dylan Terry
48 mins: Some more sloppy passing from Chelsea at the start of the second half as the crowd continue where they picked up from with their groaning.
Noble tries to pick Yarmolenko out over the top but Azpilicueta deals with the lofted pass and is able to head clear.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:04 , Dylan Terry
46 mins: Back underway at the Bridge. Could we start with a shot on target for either side please?
HT: Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
15:00 , Dylan Terry
This game simply has to improve in the second half. It cannot be worse. Or can it?
Brighton 2-1 Southampton
14:57 , Dylan Terry
Yes, Ward-Prowse’s goal was from a free-kick. Of course it was.
Burnley 0-0 Wolves
14:55 , Dylan Terry
Burnley and Wolves are goalless at the break. This means that as things stand the home side will move above Everton and out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
But you do feel they really need a win to pile the pressure on Everton ahead of the Merseyside derby later today.
Brighton 2-1 Southampton
14:54 , Dylan Terry
Elsewhere, a Mohammed Salisu own goal gave Brighton a two-goal lead before Saints pulled one back for the visitors on the stroke of half-time.
HT: Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:48 , Dylan Terry
Half-time: Well, that’s 45 minutes I’ll never get back. Eyebrows were raised when this match was chosen over Burnley’s huge clash with Wolves and there will be even more angry Clarets supporters now after this showing.
A sedated display from Chelsea against a much-changed West Ham team who have defended well but also offered little in the final third.
Very little to talk about. Here’s hoping it improves in the second period.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:47 , Dylan Terry
45+1 mins: Havertz fairly pushed off the ball by Masuaku. Alonso then tries to hook one over the West Ham defence but there isn’t even a Chelsea player in the same postcode.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:44 , Dylan Terry
44 mins: Kante floats yet another cross towards the back post but Fabianski can easily claim above Havertz.
West Ham then work their way into the Chelsea half and Silva is guilty of another sloppy foul as he shoves Yarmolenko over on the left touchline.
Cresswell sends the free-kick into the penalty area which Havertz heads clear before the ball ends up in Mendy’s hands.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:41 , Dylan Terry
42 mins: Havertz tries to beat Soucek down the right-hand side but he slips and let’s the ball roll out of play for a West Ham goal kick.
Tuchel does not look very happy with his team’s performance. This has been another sluggish display from the European champions so far.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:39 , Dylan Terry
40 mins: Kante looking lively as he recovers possession yet again on the edge of the West Ham area. He lays it off to Mount and he finds Loftus-Cheek in a wide area. The Englishman sends a low cross past a host of bodies before Fabianski gathers.
Fornals is then needlessly fouled by Silva and West Ham can regroup once more.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:37 , Dylan Terry
38 mins: Coufal delivers the free-kick but fails to beat the first man. Been that kind of attacking display from both sides so far.
Benrahma delivers another ball into the box but Soucek fouls Chalobah while trying to rise and meet the cross.
Chelsea break as Kante nicks the ball on the edge of the West Ham box but can’t pick out the right pass and Johnson can clear.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:35 , Dylan Terry
36 mins: The atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge is starting to turn a bit here. It’s not been the reaction you would come to expect from a Chelsea team after three home defeats on the bounce.
Kante brings Fornals down 25 yards from the Chelsea goal. West Ham growing into this one.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:33 , Dylan Terry
34 mins: Kante lifts another cross into the box but it’s nowhere near any Chelsea player and Fabianski can collect without any pressure.
Fornals nips in front of Loftus-Cheek and Chalobah to pick up the ball inside the Chelsea half as the home supporters produce their first major groan of the afternoon.
And there’s a chance for Yarmolenko! Fornals finds him with a deft ball into the channel and the Ukrainian fires narrowly wide. He did appear to take it off the boot of Benrahma who was coming onto t from an easier angle.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:31 , Dylan Terry
32 mins: Chance for Chelsea.
Loftus-Cheek produces a lovely dummy turn inside the penalty area before finding Havertz. The German moves it on to Azpilicueta who has space to shoot 12 yards from goal but the effort is blocked by Dawson.
West Ham defending very well so far.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:29 , Dylan Terry
30 mins: Decent move from Chelsea as Kante clips it into Alonso who on the volley feeds it into the path of Mount, but Johnson is there to see out the danger as West Ham comfortably keep the home side at bay once more.
A half hour to forget.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:27 , Dylan Terry
28 mins: Chelsea fizz the ball into Werner and he swiftly turns it on to Mount. The England international spins and tries his luck from the edge of the box with his left foot… high and wide.
Not really been a clear sight of goal for either side so far.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:25 , Dylan Terry
26 mins: Nice interchange from Alonso and Jorginho as the Chelsea defender sends another cross into the box which is turned away for a throw-in by Johnson.
Azpilicueta then woefully gives the ball away yet again and another Chelsea attack comes to nothing.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:23 , Dylan Terry
24 mins: Werner drives forward with the ball and finds Alonso on the left-hand side. The Spanish wingback delivers a wicked cross which narrowly evades Havertz.
West Ham then break through Yarmolenko. He feeds it into Fornals on the edge of the box but Jorginho is able to hack the ball away from danger.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:22 , Dylan Terry
22 mins: It’s been a lazy opening quarter of the game from Chelsea. Chalobah falls asleep again and allows West Ham to come forward.
Masuaku delivers a low ball into the box which is skewed behind for a corner. Masuaku then goes for goal when the ball drops to him on the edge of the box but it’s blocked and cleared away.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:20 , Dylan Terry
20 mins: Clash of heads between Silva and Soucek as the pair leaped for the ball from a Chelsea corner. Silva is straight back to his feet. And so is Soucek after a quick assessment from the medical staff.
Two men who will not stay down unless it is serious. Good to see them both OK.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:18 , Dylan Terry
18 mins: Terrible play from Azpilicueta as he is robbed of possession midway through his own half by Benrahma. The Algerian looks up and tries to pick out a teammate with a low cross but Mendy dives and claims it.
Chalobah then gifts the ball straight back to West Ham as Benrahma bursts through again but his control is lacking and Chelsea can clear.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:16 , Dylan Terry
16 mins: Lovely inswinging cross from Werner looks perfect for his compatriot Havertz but it’s just an inch or two too high for the German.
Werner has arguably become Chelsea’s most dangerous player in the final third. Some turn around from where he was at 12 months ago.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:14 , Dylan Terry
14 mins: Mount fizzes the ball into Werner on the edge of the box and he challenges Johnson as it gets stuck under their feet. Eventually West Ham are awarded the free-kick.
Alonso clips a ball over the top which is safely into the arms of Hammers keeper Fabianski.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:13 , Dylan Terry
12 mins: A host of empty seats around Stamford Bridge. It looks even more empty than the Arsenal game in midweek.
Cesar Azpilicueta somehow had his boot ruined inside the penalty box and was forced to go off to change footwear. Bizarre one.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:11 , Dylan Terry
10 mins: West Ham enjoy their first period of possession as they make their way into the Chelsea half for the first real time in the match.
Masuaku delivers a pacey cross into the middle which troubles the Chelsea back line but Silva gets enough on it to scoop it into the air before Mendy gathers. That was crucial as Benrahma was lurking in behind.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:08 , Dylan Terry
8 mins: Chelsea pinging the ball around nicely but they’re yet to really threaten the West Ham defence.
Loftus-Cheek fizzes a decent-looking cross in which Dawson does well to head clear. Kante then tries to pick out the corner but his tame shot drifts a few yards past the post.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:06 , Dylan Terry
6 mins: Dawson tries to pick Coufal out with a free-kick from deep but he puts too much on it and it drifts out for a goal kick for the home side.
A little subdued start to this game.
Brighton 1-0 Southampton
14:05 , Dylan Terry
Brighton have raced into the lead against Southampton. Danny Welbeck breaking the deadlock after less than two minutes.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:04 , Dylan Terry
4 mins: Kante lifts a ball in towards Werner but it’s headed clear by Coufal and West Ham eventually usher it away for a goal kick.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:02 , Dylan Terry
2 mins: Pitch looking delightful by the way. None of the bumpy hills that Tuchel appeared to be describing on Wednesday night.
West Ham immediately into a defensive shape as Chelsea ping the ball around just inside the Hammers’ half.
Chelsea 0-0 West Ham
14:01 , Dylan Terry
1 min: Here we go then! We are underway at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:57 , Dylan Terry
Right, enough of my nonsensical ramblings and ultimately pointless statistics. Kick-off is coming to you next.
Chelsea vs West Ham in a Premier League London derby.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:53 , Dylan Terry
West Ham did the double over Chelsea in the 2019/20 season, winning 1-0 away before securing a thrilling 3-2 victory at Stamford Bridge.
They have already claimed a 3-2 win at the London Stadium back in December and now will be looking to secure a second double over the Blues in just three seasons.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:50 , Dylan Terry
10 minute warning. Kick-off just around the corner at Stamford Bridge, the Amex Stadium and Turf Moor.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:47 , Dylan Terry
A reminder that Stamford Bridge will have empty seats on show once again this afternoon due to the sanctions currently being placed upon the club.
Only home season ticket holders will be able to attend the game, as was the case against Arsenal on Wednesday.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:44 , Dylan Terry
So, West Ham. European semi-finalists and still in with a serious chance of finishing in the top six of the Premier League for the second season running.
What a job David Moyes has done at the London Stadium.
And let’s not forget the Hammers have already beaten both Liverpool and Chelsea already this season. They can mix it with the very best in England.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:40 , Dylan Terry
Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea’s £97.5 million man, returns to the bench today after struggling during his side’s 4-2 defeat to Arsenal in midweek.
Kai Havertz very much Tuchel’s first choice centre-forward these days.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:36 , Dylan Terry
This is the Chelsea BENCH. Quite remarkable really.
Chelsea subs: Kepa, Chalobah, Kenedy, Sarr, Barkley, Saul, Pulisic, Ziyech, Lukaku.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:33 , Dylan Terry
Let’s not forget today is a London derby. It may not be as ferocious as Arsenal vs Tottenham, Chelsea vs Arsenal or Tottenham vs West Ham, but it is a derby nevertheless.
Few meaty challenges set to be put in?
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:29 , Dylan Terry
Thomas Tuchel is well aware that Chelsea have not yet sewn up a top four place with seven Premier League games remaining.
“I never feel secure in the Premier League, that’s just my personal feeling,” he said.
“I think it’s good – nobody should, never, because feeling secure does not keep you on the edge, and feeling secure can keep you on the thin line to being lazy, or not being fully alert – maybe that’s better, as nobody is lazy.
“But no, I never feel safe in any part of the season – and nobody should in the Premier League.”
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:24 , Dylan Terry
This is one of Chelsea’s two games in hand over Arsenal. But they will need to pick up some points from those matches as they are currently just two points above the Gunners and four ahead of Tottenham.
They won’t want to fall off to the point where they are suddenly in a fight for the top four. Especially given they still have an FA Cup final to come too.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:19 , Dylan Terry
Thomas Tuchel admits he is unsure what is causing Chelsea’s poor run at home.
Speaking about their bad performances at Stamford Bridge ahead of the visit of West Ham, he said: “It’s unusual and I don’t know what it is.
“If it was just the one thing, we would switch dressing rooms or take another hotel. But that would maybe be more superstition than anything else,” the Chelsea boss added.
“I have no solution but it’s also not the level that we want to produce in home games. It’s a bit fragile at the moment.”
Brighton vs Southampton
13:16 , Dylan Terry
Then at the Amex Stadium Brighton host Southampton in a game with quite a lot less riding on it.
Still, Brighton will be hoping they can move back into the top 10. But Saints will leapfrog above the Seagulls with a victory on the south coast.
Brighton XI: Sanchez, Cucurella, Webster, Dunk, Maupay, Mac Allister, Trossard, Mwepy, Welbeck, Caicedo, Veltman.
Southampton XI: Forster, Walker-Peters, Romeu, Long, Ward-Prowse, Adams, Redmond, Livramento, Salisu, Tella, Bednarek.
Burnley vs Wolves
13:12 , Dylan Terry
Meanwhile, Burnley have a huge game in the battle for Premier League safety today. They can move out of the drop zone if they avoid defeat at home to Wolves.
Relegation rivals Everton then travel to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at 4.30pm.
Burnley XI: Pope, Taylor, Cork, Tarkowski, Brownhill, Weghorst, McNeil, Roberts, Rodriguez, Collins, Vydra.
Wolves XI: Sá, Jiménez, Boly, Coady, Silva, Jonny, Semedo, Hwang, Saïss, Moutinho, Dendoncker.
Chelsea vs West Ham
13:08 , Dylan Terry
So, David Moyes clearly has more than one eye on their Europa League semi-final first leg against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. Understandably so.
No Michail Antonio, no Jarrod Bowen, no Declan Rice in the startling line-up.
Team news
13:04 , Dylan Terry
And here is the West Ham team!
West Ham XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Cresswell, Johnson, Masuaku; Noble, Soucek; Fornals, Benrahma, Yarmolenko.
Subs: Areola, Fredericks, Alese, Rice, Kral, Lanzini, Vlasic, Bowen, Antonio.
Team news
13:01 , Dylan Terry
Here is your Chelsea team for this afternoon’s clash against West Ham.
Chelsea XI: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Christensen, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Loftus-Cheek; Mount, Havertz, Werner.
Subs: Kepa, Chalobah, Kenedy, Sarr, Barkley, Saul, Pulisic, Ziyech, Lukaku.
Chelsea vs West Ham
12:57 , Dylan Terry
West Ham can move above Manchester United into sixth place with a victory at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
However, the Hammers have only won once away at Chelsea over the past 20 years. History is not with David Moyes’ men.
Chelsea vs West Ham
12:53 , Dylan Terry
Chelsea have suffered three home defeats in a row against Brentford, Real Madrid and Arsenal.
Thomas Tuchel partially blamed the pitch for the loss to Mikel Arteta’s men in midweek, but that didn’t wash for a lot of Blues fans.
A defeat here today could really sour the mood in west London as the season approaches its conclusion.
Chelsea vs West Ham
12:49 , Dylan Terry
Welcome to The Independent’s live updates of today’s Premier League clash between Chelsea and West Ham.
We will also be keeping a keen eye on Burnley vs Wolves and Brighton vs Southampton so you don’t have to go anywhere.
It promises to be another thrilling day of top flight action in England.
Team news to come from Stamford Bridge.
Is Chelsea vs West Ham on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and more
12:48 , Karl Matchett
West Ham fans would have bitten your hand off before the season started if you’d told them they would be in the Europa League semi-finals and in with an outside chance of finishing in the top four.
David Moyes’ men now appear to be third or fourth favourites to clinch a Champions League qualification place through their Premier League position… but it is still up for grabs with five games remaining.
Meanwhile, Chelsea look a safe bet to secure third place but will be keen to quash any Tottenham or Arsenal hopes of catching them before the end of the campaign.
This could be a major scalp for West Ham if they can win at Stamford Bridge – a result which would condemn the European champions to a fourth straight home defeat.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of today’s match.
Antonio Rudiger turned down Chelsea record wage offer as Real Madrid circle
12:36 , Karl Matchett
Antonio Rudiger rejected the chance to become the highest-paid defender in Chelsea FC’s history, the PA news agency understands.
The Germany defender is understood to have turned down a major contract offer from Chelsea, that the Blues had tabled before falling under Government restrictions.
Chelsea have continued to hold out hope that the Stamford Bridge club’s sale could turn the tide in their bid to retain Rudiger’s services.
But the continued strong interest from Real Madrid could now see the 29-year-old leave the west London club when his contract expires this summer.
Rudiger had for some time vowed to leave the decision on his future until the end of the campaign, but interest from other clubs has remained consistent.
He has been understood to want to continue working with Thomas Tuchel, having hit new heights under the Blues’ German boss.
But Madrid could now hold the edge in the race to land one of Europe’s top defenders.
Chelsea’s recruitment and retention has been halted by the strict operating terms after Roman Abramovich’s UK Government sanctions.
The sale of the Stamford Bridge club should be complete in May though, which will allow the west Londoners to return to standard transfer business.
More details here:
Antonio Rudiger turned down Chelsea record wage offer as Real Madrid circle
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