West Ham vs Chelsea: Tips, Odds, and Match Preview

West Ham United and Chelsea were two teams that delivered disappointing performances in the first round of the 2025-26 Premier League season. The Hammers suffered a blowout 3-0 loss to Sunderland, while Chelsea couldn’t score and had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.

Thus, and after disappointing results in the opening match of the league campaign, both The Hammers and The Blues need to do everything in their power to secure the three points in this match. West Ham might have the edge of playing at home, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to consider Chelsea as the odds-on favorites at London Stadium.

West Ham Need a Bounce-Back Performance

Few would’ve thought that West Ham would open the season with a loss against Sunderland, one of the three sides that got promoted for this new season. However, not even the most pessimistic fans would’ve expected a 3-0 loss in which the team looked so overmatched.

Unfortunately for the Hammers, things won’t get easier for them in this match. While the club will have the advantage of playing in front of their fans at London Stadium, there’s no realistic scenario in which they’ll be able to get past a star-studded Chelsea side. One of the biggest issues in the loss to Sunderland was the fact that West Ham didn’t do much with the ball after recording 62 percent possession.

West Ham Injury & Suspension News

West Ham aren’t expected to be missing many players, with Crysencio Summerville (hamstring) and George Earthy (undisclosed) being the lone absences. That said, expect manager Graham Potter to make a few changes here and there to tweak the side after the disappointing debut against Sunderland.

Can Chelsea secure their first win of the season?

Chelsea was disappointing in their debut as well, but for different reasons than West Ham. Even though The Blues experienced a massive edge in possession and chances created, they simply couldn’t find the back of the net and had to settle for a scoreless draw against another London-based club, Crystal Palace. However, the underlying numbers suggest Chelsea shouldn’t be overly concerned despite not winning in the opener.

After all, Enzo Maresca’s men are coming off a very successful summer in which they won the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, and they also went undefeated in their short preseason. With elite talent in the attacking third and Cole Palmer leading the way as the playmaker, Chelsea shouldn’t have major issues getting the win against a porous defensive line that already conceded three goals against Sunderland in the opening match of the season.

Chelsea Injury & Suspension News

Chelsea should have a fair share of absences for this contest. Levi Colwill (knee), Romeo Lavia (strain), Benoit Badiashile (undisclosed), Omari Kellyman (hamstring) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) are all out. Tosin Adarabioyo will be a game-time call due to muscular problems.

Also, expect Chelsea to make one or two changes to the starting lineup compared to the side that played against Palace in the opening match of the 2025-26 EPL campaign. The main doubt lies in who will play in the striker role. Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson will battle for the starting spot.

West Ham vs Chelsea Prediction

Both West Ham and Chelsea will do everything in their power to secure their first win of the campaign. Even though the Hammers have the edge of playing at home, it’s hard to see them having enough quality to either threaten or slow down their London rivals. Chelsea should dominate the contest with absolute ease, and their superior individual talent could be enough reason to believe they can get the three points in this London-based derby.

CryptoGamba tip: Chelsea to win – 1.66 @ Stake