Chelsea secured a thrilling 2-1 win over West Ham on Monday, with a dramatic late own goal from Aaron Wan-Bissaka sealing the victory and lifting Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League.
The match marked a significant return for Graham Potter, who had been sacked by Chelsea in 2023 after a brief and challenging stint as their manager. Potter, now at the helm of West Ham, was looking for redemption against his former club. However, his revenge mission was spoiled by Chelsea’s resilient comeback.
Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham the lead just before halftime, marking his return to action after a foot injury. Chelsea, however, struggled in the opening 45 minutes, leaving fans frustrated. But a much-improved second half saw Pedro Neto equalize for Chelsea in the 64th minute, capitalizing on a rebound following an initial shot from Enzo Fernandez. Despite a VAR review to check for a potential foul, the goal stood.
Chelsea then capitalized on a stroke of fortune in the 74th minute when a cross from Cole Palmer deflected off Wan-Bissaka into the net for an own goal, giving Chelsea all three points and ending Potter’s hope of getting one over on his former team.
This victory was particularly significant for Chelsea as it marked their first home league win after trailing at halftime since 2013. It also ended a run of poor form, with Chelsea having won only two of their last eight league matches.
Despite the win, Chelsea’s coach Enzo Maresca had expressed frustrations about transfer window distractions, with key players like Joao Felix and Axel Disasi being linked with other clubs. The victory gave Maresca a much-needed boost, allowing Chelsea to move two points ahead of Manchester City and Newcastle in the race for a top-four finish and qualification for next season’s Champions League.
For West Ham, the loss marks another setback in a challenging run, with Potter’s side winning only once in their last five matches since he took charge. However, West Ham remains 10 points clear of the relegation zone, and Potter’s task will now be to turn around their fortunes.
Chelsea’s goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen had a solid performance, making key saves, including one from Mohammed Kudus, who had earlier forced a save with a powerful strike for West Ham. The victory was hard-earned, and Chelsea’s luck seemed to be turning just as they needed it most.
