West Ham United — Chelsea : Match Preview and Prediction for August 22,2025

West Ham’s Rocky Start

Graham Potter’s squad experienced a dismal second half in Sunderland, where the ‘Black Cats’ dismantled the ‘Hammers” defense, resulting in a crushing 0-3 defeat at the start of the new Premier League season. The former Brighton and Chelsea coach is known for his long-term vision, and while this marks his first full season at the helm of the London club, it has certainly not begun smoothly. The team’s cohesion visibly deteriorated after the first hour of play, leading to three goals conceded against newcomer Hermansen from Leicester. It’s clear that the home side has significant areas for improvement, particularly concerning their physical fitness. Now, attention turns to West Ham’s clash against Chelsea – Potter’s former club – in their first home derby of the season. For this crucial encounter against the ‘Blues,’ West Ham will be without the injured Irti and Summerville, both of whom also missed the opening fixture.

Chelsea’s Opening Weekend Frustration

The Club World Cup winners showcased impressive quality during their summer pre-season, tearing through opponents like Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan in friendly matches. However, the start of the competitive season saw Maresca’s side drop two crucial points in their initial derby against Crystal Palace. The ‘Eagles’ have a knack for challenging top teams, and they successfully stifled the ‘Aristocrats” attack. While they even managed to score from a free-kick, the goal was disallowed due to their own players’ proximity to the opposition wall, leading to a 0-0 stalemate at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea undoubtedly pressed hard, especially in the second half, but their final xG of 1.65 regrettably failed to translate into goals.

Squad Dynamics and Injury Concerns

Meanwhile, there appears to be some internal friction between the club’s management and the Italian coach, who, following Colwill’s injury, is demanding a new central defender, asserting that ‘Colwill is irreplaceable.’ As of now, Boehly hasn’t yielded to Maresca’s demands, though the situation may evolve by the end of the transfer window. We’ll observe how last season’s fourth-placed team performs in their second derby, this time an away fixture. Badiashile, Lavia, Colwill, and Kellyman will all miss the match against the ‘Hammers’ due to various injuries. However, Nicolas Jackson returns to lead the attack after serving a suspension carried over from the end of last season.