PREVIEW: Chelsea host fellow in-form side West Ham in London derby | OneFootball

Liam Rosenior’s Chelsea seek a fifth straight win in all competitions as they welcome relegation-battling West Ham United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Fresh off an impressive 3-2 Champions League victory in Naples, Rosenior’s Blues are aiming for three wins from three in the Premier League under their new manager, but resurgent West Ham won’t be pushovers.

Three wins in a row for the Hammers has Nuno Espirito Santo’s side reinvigorated, despite still sitting five points from safety in their fight to retain Premier League status.

Both sides come into the match under different management from their last meeting, with Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea winning 5-1 over Graham Potter’s West Ham in Gameweek two.

Lucas Paquetá scored their opener on the night at the London Stadium, but has now departed the club for Flamengo in his home nation.

The Brazilian midfielder’s drawn-out transfer saga finally came to a conclusion this week, with the club announcing an agreement has been reached with the 12th-placed side in Brasileiro Serie A.

His motives behind the move were described a “personal and family reasons” and “significant mental strain”, after the FA took two years to clear the Brazilian midfielder of gambling charges.

He said: “Since the first day of this investigation, I have maintained my innocence against these extremely serious accusations.

“I can’t say anything more at this time, but I would like to express how grateful I am to God and how eager I am to return to playing football with a smile on my face.”

Paquetá hadn’t been involved in the wins over Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur, with new arrivals and regulars Taty Castellanos and Pablo filling the void in midfield.

However, a familiar face for the Irons’ boss from his time at Wolves arrived this week, with Adama Traore joining the club from Fulham for a reported £2 million fee.

West Ham have no fresh injury concerns and will hope winger Crysencio Summerville continues his hot streak, with three goals in as many games proving a catalyst for the Hammers’ upturn in fortune.

Chelsea are yet to make any January signings, while announcing Raheem Sterling’s departure by mutual consent, following a fairly dismal three-and-a-half years at the club.

The former England winger hadn’t featured for the Blues’ since May 2024.

Chelsea appear to have come through the victory over Napoli unscathed, securing a spot in the top eight of the Champions League table, with the only absences remaining long-term ones and Rosenior continuing to manage the minutes of Cole Palmer.

Their star man has suffered from an injury-riddled campaign, with groin issues restricting Palmer to just 10 Premier League starts, however two assists from the bench in midweek will give Rosenior and supporters hope that the the 23-year-old will get back to his best.

The last time West Ham tasted victory at the Bridge was in 2019, with a 1-0 victory courtesy of Aaron Cresswell and 33-year-old debutant goalkeeper David Martin’s heroics.

The game takes place on Saturday 31st January from Stamford Bridge, live on Sky Sports with kick-off at 5:30 PM.