There was little sign of what was to come during a largely uneventful first half, where neither team really threatened the opposition goalkeeper, despite Chelsea enjoying the vast majority of possession against a West Ham side who were happy to sit back and defend.

However, midway through the second half, the visitors somehow took the lead completely against the run of play. Edouard Mendy managed to claw a dangerous corner away from his goal, but was floored by a bundle of bodies in the process, meaning when the ball came back in there was nothing he could do to prevent Michail Antonio from scrambling in at close range.

We tried to increase the pressure but it took a double substitution to find a way back into the game, as Ben Chilwell did brilliantly to latch on to Thiago Silva's high pass into the box, beating two defenders in the air before directing the dropping ball under Lukasz Fabianski and into the net.

Chilwell then turned provider to put us ahead with two minutes remaining, as his low cross was turned in by fellow sub Kai Havertz, but that turned out to be far from the end of the drama.

Almost straight from the kick-off, Max Cornet, who had hit the post with his first touch shortly before Chelsea took the lead, fired the ball into an empty net with Mendy down injured following a challenge by Jarrod Bowen.

This time the referee intervened on Mendy's behalf, though, viewing the incident on the pitchside screen and ruling the goal out for a foul on the goalkeeper, allowing us to hold on in the final few minutes for a memorable comeback victory over West Ham.

The selection

Wesley Fofana was given his Chelsea debut from the start as one of five changes by Thomas Tuchel's team to face West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Frenchman lined up in defence alongside Kalidou Koulibaly and Thiago Silva, who captained the side, ahead of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

Reece James returned after missing our match against Southampton through illness, replacing Cesar Azpilicueta on the right, while Marc Cucurella continued on the left. In midfield, Mateo Kovacic made his first start of the season after recovering from a knee injury, joined by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, with Conor Gallagher returning from suspension in a more advanced role.

Christian Pulisic came into a two-man attack with Raheem Sterling, meaning Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho were on the bench.

Loud cheers rang out around Stamford Bridge as debutant Fofana’s name was read out in the line-up ahead of kick-off, and again for his first meaningful involvement a couple of minutes in, stepping across to take the ball off Michail Antonio on the right touchline with ease.

Quiet start

There was no ferocious opening to this London derby, instead beginning at a relatively calm and sedate pace as Chelsea took the lion’s share of possession while West Ham sat deep. However, the moment the Blues stepped across the halfway line, the visitors would spring into action pressing the midfield with numbers, making it difficult for us to progress into the final third and carve out chances during the early stages.

We did begin to threaten a little more after the first 10 minutes, when James, Sterling and Pulisic all tried to get free in the channels in quick succession, but each time the number of bodies inside the box snuffed out the attempted crosses.

It took nearly 20 minutes for West Ham to mount their first attack worthy of the name and the resulting low cross was easily snuffed out by Thiago Silva, before normal service was resumed. Despite the game being played almost exclusively in the Hammers’ half, goalmouth action was almost non-existent as we patiently probed for a way through their massed ranks of defenders, although Sterling came close to getting on the end of a lovely ball over the top as Loftus-Cheek opted for a more direct route.

The closest we came in the first half-an-hour was when James jinked away from his man on the right and smashed a dangerous ball low across goal. The defenders only managed to scramble it away from inside the six-yard box as far as Pulisic, but frustratingly his first-time shot was deflected wide by the crowd of West Ham players in their box.

No breakthrough by the break

Chelsea’s play was starting to show more urgency as the first half went on, as seen when Kovacic flashed a low shot from outside the box wide of the left-hand post, following a weaving run by Pulisic to commit West Ham defenders.

Half-time arrived at the end of another long spell of Blues possession, although West Ham did briefly threaten as Pablo Fornals fired a viciously dipping half-volley narrowly high and wide from just outside the box after Thiago Silva had headed a cross clear under pressure.

It looked like more of the same as the second half kicked off with plenty of Chelsea possession, although it appeared Chelsea were attempting to increase the tempo of the game in an effort to create a chance to open the scoring, but James and Sterling both had crosses from the right blocked and Pulisic couldn’t quite find space for a shot as he danced between defenders in the box after cutting in from the right.

There was starting to be a bit of tension in the air too, as shown when James and Antonio clashed after a foul by the West Ham striker, with both players going in the referee’s book. However, while our time in possession was getting higher and higher up the pitch, we were still unable to test Lukasz Fabianski in the West Ham goal.

Blues behind

In fact, it was Mendy who was forced into action, palming away a Jarrod Bowen volley at his near post. However, the danger had not passed and West Ham took an unlikely lead from the resulting corner. The initial cross was dangerous, but Mendy got there and clawed it out from under his crossbar. He was knocked to the ground in a scrum of bodies in doing so, though, meaning he was powerless when the ball came back into the six-yard box, allowing Antonio to guide it over the line from less than a yard out.

It was doubly frustrating for the Blues, who felt Antonio was lucky to still be on the pitch after avoiding a second yellow card when grabbing Thiago Silva in a headlock not long before scoring the opening goal.

Chelsea tried to respond instantly, as Armando Broja, one of two substitutions by Tuchel shortly before that West Ham goal, along with Mason Mount, managed to break free in the box and beat the defenders to a loose ball, but Fabianski was quick off his line and smothered the effort.

Frantic finish

Tuchel opted for another double change as we chased the game, bringing on Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell for Cucurella and Kovacic. It’s fair to say it had the desired effect. Just four minutes after his introduction, Chilwell charged into the box and beat two West Ham defenders in the air to Thiago Silva’s high pass. His header dropped in behind and the wing-back did well to knock the bouncing ball down and underneath the onrushing Fabianski, with Havertz watching it across the line to make sure.

There was certainly a little more spice to game after our equaliser, with some meaty challenges flying in from both sides and 50-50s being contested far more strongly than they had during the first half. However, just like the first half, it was Chelsea who were enjoying the vast majority of the ball.

There was a late scare for the Blues as two West Ham substitutes combined, with Said Benrahma's cross being headed against the post by Max Cornet with the winger's first touch when he looked certain to score.

Instead, it was Chelsea who took the lead with just a couple of minutes remaining. Broja was patient out wide before laying the ball off for Chilwell, who sent a low cross into the box where it was turned in first time by another of our substitutes Havertz, giving us a lead we fully deserved but had to work hard to achieve.

However, it looked like that hard work would all be for nothing, as West Ham levelled the scores again immediately, when Mendy stayed down injured after beating Bowen to a loose James header, allowing Cornet to fire into the empty net. Thankfully, VAR replays showed Bowen had caught Mendy on the shoulder with a trailing leg and referee Andrew Madley was advised to view the incident again on the pitchside monitor. After a closer look, the ref decided the contact between Bowen and Mendy was substantial enough for a foul, ruling out the goal and booking the West Ham forward.

All that was left was for Chelsea to hold on during a fiery and lengthy spell of added time to secure a victory that was fully deserved, but required plenty of effort and determination.

What's next?

We open our 2022/23 Champions League campaign away at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, with kick-off at 5.45pm UK time, before travelling to neighbours Fulham for a 12.30pm start in the Premier League next Saturday.

Chelsea (3-4-1-2): Mendy; Fofana, Thiago Silva (c), Koulibaly; James, Loftus-Cheek (Jorginho 83), Kovacic (Havertz 72), Cucurella (Chilwell 72); Gallagher (Broja 60); Pulisic (Mount 60), Sterling
Unused subs: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Ziyech
Booked: Loftus-Cheek 10, Cucurella 36, James 55
Scorer: Chilwell 76, Havertz 88

West Ham United (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Coufal, Kehrer, Zouma, Emerson; Soucek, Rice (c); Bowen, Paqueta (Ogbonna 83), Fornals (Cornet 86); Antonio (Benrahma 74)
Unused subs: Areola, Randolph, Coventry, Downes, Cornet, Lanzini
Booked: Antonio 55, Bowen 90+1
Scorer: Antonio 63

Referee: Andrew Madley

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