The 120th meeting between West Ham United and Chelsea will take place at the London Stadium on Saturday lunchtime when the two sides face off in the Premier League.
While the Hammers are seeking to claim back-to-back home wins for the first time since October, the Blues are hoping to avoid an eighth successive away game without a victory.
Match preview
© Reuters
After ending 2022 in disappointing fashion with six defeats in seven matches across all competitions, West Ham have since turned their fortunes around in the New Year, winning three and drawing two of their opening six games in 2023.
Five points have been accumulated in their first four Premier League games this year – as many as in their previous eight fixtures – and recent results have seen David Moyes's side climb out of the relegation zone.
Indeed, a 2-0 home win over fellow strugglers Everton was followed by a hard-fought 1-1 draw away at Champions League hopefuls Newcastle United last weekend, with club-record signing Lucas Paqueta netting just his second goal of the season to cancel out Callum Wilson's opener.
West Ham, who currently sit 17th in the table and just one point above the drop zone, are now preparing for back-to-back London derbies against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, but coming out on top against city rivals has proven challenging for the Hammers in recent years.
The Clarets and Blues have in fact lost eight of their last 10 London derbies, while they have also lost four of their last five meetings with Chelsea, although the only exception during this run was a 3-2 home victory in December 2021, and Moyes will be keen to see his side replicate that performance on Saturday as they bid to climb further away from danger.
© Reuters
Following a record-breaking January transfer window in which they spent in excess of £300m on eight new signings, Chelsea's focus now shifts to performances on the pitch, with Graham Potter tasked with ending the club's torrid run of form and getting the best out the plethora of players at his disposal.
Since mid-October, Chelsea have won only two of their last 12 Premier League matches, dropping 24 points from a possible 36 available in the process, and they have subsequently slipped to ninth in the table, 10 points behind the top four.
Hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League are fading each week, and a goalless stalemate at home to Fulham last Friday did not help their cause, with a lack of a cutting edge in the final third once again proving costly for the West Londoners.
Indeed, Chelsea have scored just seven goals in their last 12 Premier League matches, as many as in Potter's first three league games in charge; the Blues have found the net just 22 times in total from 21 top-flight games this term, fewer than 12 other teams including the likes of Leicester City and Leeds United in the bottom half of the table.
Goals may have been hard to come by for Chelsea so far this season, but finding the net has not been a problem in recent meetings with West Ham, as they have scored in each of their last six encounters against the Hammers, scoring at least twice on four of those occasions.
The Blues are looking to win three successive games against Moyes's men for first time since April 2011, but they travel to East London on Saturday having won only two of their last eight visits to West Ham.
Team News
© Reuters
West Ham duo Maxwel Cornet (calf) and Kurt Zouma (thigh) are both ruled out through injury, while Gianluca Scamacca is closing in on a return from a knee problem after being spotted training this week.
Alphonse Areola sustained a hamstring injury in the build-up to last weekend's draw with Newcastle and is a major doubt for the visit of Chelsea, while Thilo Kehrer was forced off at half time at St James' Park with a hamstring issue of his own and is also a doubt for Saturday.
The potential absence of Kehrer could see Ben Johnson recalled to the back three, but otherwise Moyes is unlikely to make too many changes to his starting lineup.
Paqueta is expected to join in-demand captain Declan Rice in centre-midfield, while Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen could continue to support Michail Antonio in attack, although January signing Danny Ings will be pushing for his first Hammers start.
As for Chelsea, N'Golo Kante (hamstring), Edouard Mendy (finger), Christian Pulisic and Armando Broja (both knee) all remain sidelined with injuries, while Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana (both knee), Denis Zakaria (thigh) and Mateo Kovacic (calf) are all doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
The Blues have been boosted by the return of Reece James and Ben Chilwell, who made their first appearances of 2023 in the draw with Fulham after spells out through injury, and both full-backs will be in contention to start on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid loanee Joao Felix is also available for selection after serving a three-match suspension and, along with Noni Madueke, will bid to start ahead of either Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz or Mykhaylo Mudryk, who all began in attack last time out.
British-record signing Enzo Fernandez is expected to continue in centre-midfield after making his full debut against Fulham, while Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile are poised to retain their partnership at the heart of the defence.
West Ham United possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Johnson, Ogbonna, Aguerd; Coufal, Rice, Paqueta, Emerson; Benrahma, Bowen; Antonio
Chelsea possible starting lineup:
Arrizabalaga; James, Thiago Silva, Badiashile, Cucurella; Gallagher, Fernandez, Mount; Madueke, Havertz, Mudryk
We say: West Ham United 1-1 Chelsea
West Ham could end the weekend inside the relegation zone if they fail to claim maximum points on Saturday, while Chelsea could find themselves in the bottom half of the table should they fail to come out on top at the London Stadium, so both sides will be determined to win this intriguing contest.
Considering the two teams have struggled to find their shooting boots this term, a low-scoring affair could be on the cards, and we feel that the spoils will be shared on this occasion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
