We quickly recovered from the disappointment of conceding a Lucas Paqueta piledriver early on to lead by the midway point of the first half. Joao Pedro nodded us level from close range and then crossed for Pedro Neto to sweep us in front.

Excellent work from Estevao Willian allowed Enzo Fernandez to open his account for the season shortly after the half-hour, and we only reasserted our dominance in the opening exchanges of the second period.

Moises Caicedo marked his 100th Chelsea appearance with a goal, prodding home from a corner, and Trevoh Chalobah did likewise as the Hammers struggled to handle our set-piece threat.

The result means we have won back-to-back league away games for the first time this year, while we have matched the margin of victory secured in a 4-0 win at Upton Park in 2008.

Team news

By the time the game kicked off there were four changes to the Chelsea side that started against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Enzo Maresca had only planned for three, however, with Cole Palmer having to be replaced by Estevao after the warm-up had been completed. The Brazilian made his full Chelsea debut.

The other three fresh faces were Tosin Adarabioyo, fit again after injury, Malo Gusto, and Liam Delap. Josh Acheampong, Reece James and Jamie Gittens made way, with the head coach opting to deploy Joao Pedro in the no.10 position.

By the midway point of the first half Joao Pedro had made a telling impact in that role, but not before the Hammers delivered a bolt from the blue.

Early goals

There seemed little danger on when Lucas Paqueta picked the ball up just inside the Chelsea half. But he advanced and tried his luck from distance, the ball swerving away from Robert Sanchez and into the top right-hand corner. Six minutes had been played.

The Blues didn’t let that setback affect us. Neto’s teasing cross was headed behind for a corner which the Portuguese directed towards the near post. Marc Cucurella did excellently to win the first header and flick the ball into a dangerous area, where Joao Pedro rose highest and nodded into the net.

Our hosts thought they had retaken the lead almost immediately when Niclas Fullkrug arrowed a loose ball into the net, but VAR intervened as Jean-Clair Todibo was offside in the build-up. No goal.

Instead, it was Chelsea who took the lead barely five minutes after Fullkrug’s disallowed effort as the pendulum of the contest kept swinging.

Chelsea take control

Initial credit must go to Trevoh Chalobah, who was too strong for Paqueta in West Ham’s defensive third. Joao Pedro collected the loose ball and whipped in a cross that Neto anticipated and then converted with aplomb on the half-volley.

Having got our noses in front, the Blues started playing with real authority, moving the ball efficiently to find gaps between what often resembled a West Ham back five. The away support even brought the oles out!

So it didn’t come as a surprise when we extended our advantage in the 34th minute. Delap cleverly held the ball up, allowing Estevao to roam into space behind him. The attacker dribbled deep into the West Ham box before firing the ball across goal, where Enzo had timed his run perfectly. The skipper couldn’t miss, and Estevao became the youngest player to assist a goal for Chelsea in the Premier League.

We continued to keep West Ham at arm’s length as the first half wound to its conclusion without any of the drama that had peppered its beginning.

Moises marks his century in style!

Graham Potter made two changes at half-time and switched to a back four, but it didn’t stem the tide of Chelsea attacks. Joao Pedro and Enzo combined and when Neto on the left flank cut it back for Enzo ten yards out, he will feel he should have scored rather than shooting over.

His midfield partner made no such mistake shortly afterwards! Enzo’s corner was palmed by West Ham keeper Mads Hermansen but without much conviction, and the loose ball landed at Caicedo’s feet. His instinctive effort kissed the underside of the bar on its way in, and the fans’ favourite could celebrate a century of Chelsea appearances with a goal in front of the away support.

Four became five just before the hour, and again it was a set-piece that caused chaos in the West Ham six-yard box. Aaron Wan-Bissaka beat his own keeper to the punch, Joao Pedro kept the ball alive, and Chalobah was in the right place to hook it home from a few yards out.

In response, Callum Wilson headed Jarrod Bowen’s cross wide, Sanchez made a flying save – although the offside flag was up anyway – and Caicedo was in the right place to clear a dangerous delivery away from close to his goalline.

By that point in the game, with 20 minutes left, there were four new Chelsea players on the pitch: Andrey Santos, Wesley Fofana, James and Jarrol Hato. The Dutch youngster was making his Blues debut, while Fofana featured for the first time since March.

Estevao was released by a defence-splitting pass from James but after cutting inside rather than shooting, claret shirts had retreated and his effort had the sting taken out of it, allowing the grateful Hermansen to gather.

The final ten minutes or so had a pre-season feel to it, with the sting taken out of the game and the majority of the Olympic Stadium empty. It was the Chelsea fans who had been making all the noise since about the 15-minute mark, and well they might. Away wins in London don’t get much more emphatic than this!

What it means…

The Blues are top of the embryonic Premier League table after our fourth consecutive Premier League win against West Ham, and our tenth victory in our past 12 games in all competitions.

What’s next…

A home game against Fulham on Saturday 30 August, kick-off 12.30pm.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto (James 69), Chalobah (Fofana 69), Tosin, Cucurella (Hato 69); Caicedo (c), Enzo; Estevao (Gittens 77), Joao Pedro, Neto; Delap (Andrey Santos 62)
Unused subs Jorgensen, Slonina, Acheampong, Essugo
Scorers Joao Pedro 15, Neto 23, Enzo 34, Caicedo 54, Chalobah 58
Booked Hato 87

West Ham (5-3-2): Hermansen; Wan-Bissaka, Todibo (Potts h/t), Kilman, Aguerd, Diouf; Soucek (Walker-Peters 69), Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Bowen (c), Fullkrug (Wilson h/t)
Unused subs Areola, Mavroponos, Rodriguez, Scarles, Irving, Marshall
Scorer Paqueta 6

Referee Michael Oliver