Chelsea boosted their prospects of qualifying for European competition next season with a convincing win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer opened the scoring for Chelsea 15 minutes into the game, swiftly capitalizing on a loose ball in the West Ham penalty area.
West Ham nearly responded instantly as Jarrod Bowen’s header hit the crossbar, but Chelsea dominated the game thereafter.
Conor Gallagher increased Chelsea’s lead at the half-hour mark, and Noni Madueke added a third with a header six minutes later.
In the second half, Nicolas Jackson netted twice, capping off a thoroughly positive afternoon for the Blues.
With only three matches left this season, Chelsea has moved up to seventh place, just two points behind sixth-placed Newcastle. Meanwhile, West Ham remains in ninth place with two games left.
Chelsea ooze confidence
Under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea had a turbulent first season but are now finding their rhythm, with European competition next season still a possibility if they maintain their current momentum.
The Blues have secured victories in nine of their last 11 home Premier League games, and they’re currently on a four-game winning streak at Stamford Bridge, having triumphed over Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham, and now West Ham.
The team is displaying increased confidence, which looks promising for the upcoming season.
Cole Palmer’s precise finish into the bottom right corner kick-started Chelsea’s performance, bringing his season league goal tally to 21.
Captain Conor Gallagher also shone with a notable volley that decisively beat Alphonse Areola, leaving him stationary.
By the 36th minute, the match was essentially decided when Noni Madueke capitalized on space in the six-yard box to convert Thiago Silva’s knockdown.
Nicolas Jackson reinforced Chelsea’s control with a goal shortly after halftime and later smoothly added a fifth, cleverly evading the offside trap.
Defensively, Chelsea faced few challenges, but Pochettino will be gratified by his team managing back-to-back clean sheets in the league for the first time since February 2023.
Another heavy loss for hopeless Hammers
West Ham’s morale appears depleted as their season ends disappointingly.
The Hammers have secured only one win in their last 10 matches across all competitions, suffering five losses, and are likely to miss out on European competition for a fourth consecutive season.
Their defensive struggles are evident, having conceded 70 goals this season, including five goals in four separate matches—only Burnley (74), Luton (78), and Sheffield United (100) have fared worse among Premier League teams.
Amidst these challenges, former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui engaged in discussions to potentially replace David Moyes earlier this week. A second consecutive substantial away defeat—following a 5-2 loss at Crystal Palace on April 21—puts Moyes in an increasingly unstable position.
Jarrod Bowen provided the sole highlight for West Ham on a difficult day, hitting the crossbar three times.
Despite a more threatening presence after the break, with Emerson shooting over and substitute James Ward-Prowse forcing a save from Djordje Petrovic, the overall performance was lacking.
This defeat continues Moyes’ dismal record at Chelsea, where he has never won in 19 visits as a manager, with 12 losses and seven draws.