The world champions have won two and lost two of our past four league matches in this evening slot, while the Hammers claimed no points from any their last four over this and the previous season.

The midweek climax of the UEFA Champions League’s first phase saw the Blues seal progress direct to the round of 16 with a superb late win at Napoli, our third-ever competitive win in Italy. Now focus returns to domestic fronts.

The Irons arrive in 18th place, six points from safety, despite impressive back-to-back league victories at Tottenham Hotspur and home to Sunderland under Nuno Espirito Santo’s care. Spurs are the only London club to be beaten by the Hammers in their last seven Premier League derbies.

Chelsea are undefeated at home this season in these neighbourly battles in the Premier League and won the reverse fixture in August 5-1 – a record victory for the Blues away to the Hammers – with five names on the scoresheet. That was also our fourth straight top-flight success against the Irons, with an aggregate scoreline of 15-2.

A third successive league win under Liam Rosenior would make it six in a row at home to the Hammers and could lift the Blues up to fourth in the table.

Team news

Cole Palmer played 45 minutes in midweek after coming on at half-time to star in our second-half comeback to beat Napoli 3-2, and Liam Rosenior has confirmed the England international is ready for a place in his starting line-up against West Ham.

‘Cole is fine,’ said Rosenior in his pre-match press conference. ‘He came through the other night with two assists and an outstanding performance. He is available to start tomorrow and, of course, we are really happy about that.

‘We want to make sure all our players are at their top level. Whether that’s Cole, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez or whoever. These are outstanding players and when they are performing at their top level, they show that. The impact Cole had against Napoli was excellent and he showed really good signs on Wednesday.'

Our head coach also provided an update on injured trio Tosin Adarabioyo, Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo, who are at different stages in their recovery.

‘They’re all getting closer day by day, and they’re progressing well,' he added. ‘Tosin was back out on the pitch on Friday doing his individual rehab. Romeo is in a really good place and we just have to make sure this last stage of his rehab is really good. Dario is, obviously, a little further behind.’

The history

West Ham plied their trade in the Southern League until 1915 and Chelsea first encountered them in October 1923, a nondescript 0-0 watched by 51,000 at Stamford Bridge. One reporter, alluding to Alexander the Great, noted Chelsea ‘dallied with the ball as if they had no more worlds to conquer’.

Our second Division One meeting in January 1931 brought the Blues’ first home win in the fixture, 2-1 thanks to Scottish forward pair Alec Cheyne and Alex Jackson.

A record home league victory of 6-2 against our eastern neighbours was set 35 years later in April 1966, with George Graham and Bobby Tambling both doubling up. Six of Tommy Docherty’s team that day were members of England manager Alf Ramsey’s long list for the FIFA World Cup. Eight months later, the two teams played out a tumultuous 5-5 draw in west London.

West Ham’s relegation in 1992 meant this derby fixture made its Premier League debut at the Bridge with a 2-0 Blues win in April 1994, youngster Darren Barnard and player-manager Glenn Hoddle both netting their first of the season.

Chelsea’s biggest margin of victory when the East Enders came calling was then increased to 5-0 in May 2024. Cole Palmer opened the scoring for Mauricio Pochettino’s men after quarter of an hour – his 16th of the season – before Conor Gallagher and Noni Madueke made it three by the break. Nicolas Jackson added two more, the second after VAR review.

Last season, Graham Potter returned to the Bridge at the Hammers’ helm and saw his side lose first the lead, when Pedro Neto levelled, then the match, through Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s own goal, for a 2-1 Chelsea win.

Know this...

Chelsea have scored 109 goals in 59 Premier League games against West Ham, second only to our tally against Tottenham (122 in 67 games).

The world champions have the third-best goal difference in the top flight (+14) this season. Eight of our 10 league wins have been by a margin of two or more goals.

The Blues have won five and lost one of our nine top-flight London derbies this season.

Premier League London table

West Ham have faced 346 shots in this season’s top flight, including 124 on target, more than any rival except Burnley (393 shots, 140 on target).

Nine of the 10 goals conceded by the Irons on the road have come in the final half-an-hour.

In the 3-2 victory at Napoli, Cole Palmer became the first Chelsea player since Nicolas Anelka, in the 4-4 draw with Liverpool in 2009, to come off the bench and assist two Champions League goals.

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