Chelsea should disregard external distractions prior to their West Ham journey, according to Maresca's advice
Chelsea and West Ham Set for London Derby Amid Ownership Uncertainty
Chelsea and West Ham are set to face off in a highly-anticipated London derby this weekend, with both teams showing signs of recovery and growth post-transition.
In their last game, West Ham drew 1-1 with Fulham, with Danny Ings scoring a stoppage-time leveller. The Hammers are currently on a two-game winless run in the early top-flight season and will be keen to turn things around against Chelsea.
On the other hand, Chelsea is aiming to win back-to-back Premier League games against West Ham on Saturday. The Blues have won each of their last four away games in the Premier League and are considered the favourites for the derby.
Christopher Nkunku, who has scored all four of his Premier League goals for Chelsea as a substitute, will be a key player for the visiting team. His late goal gave Chelsea a 1-0 victory against Bournemouth in their last game.
Meanwhile, Michail Antonio has been involved in five goals in his last six Premier League games against Chelsea. The West Ham forward is just one goal involvement away from reaching 100 in the Premier League, making him the first West Ham player to achieve this milestone.
Julen Lopetegui, the head coach of West Ham, will be looking to guide his team to a much-needed victory to end their winless run. Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's manager, has urged his players to focus on the things in their control and not be distracted by the speculation over the ownership.
Chelsea's ownership situation remains somewhat unsettled but stable under BlueCo, with internal tensions not yet affecting the club's valuation or ambitions. Despite these challenges, the ownership group expresses optimism about the club's future, though there have been efforts to buy out co-owners indicating some friction.
Chelsea's recent season was strong enough to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League by finishing 4th in the Premier League and winning two major trophies. For the 2025-26 season, under Maresca, the team has embarked on a significant squad overhaul with substantial investment in new attacking and defensive players, aiming for even higher league placement and additional trophies.
The Opta win probability for the match is slightly in favour of Chelsea, with a 44% win probability for them, 24.6% for a draw, and 31.3% for West Ham. However, West Ham have alternated between winning (five) and not winning (D2 L3) in their last 10 league home games against Chelsea, so anything is possible in this exciting London derby.
In the upcoming London derby this weekend, Chelsea and West Ham are set to compete, with the Premier League favourites Chelsea aiming to secure back-to-back victories against West Ham, who are currently in a two-game winless run in the Premier League.
For West Ham, Michail Antonio, who has a history of goal involvement against Chelsea, is expected to be a key player as they strive to turn around their current form and secure their first victory over Chelsea since their last encounter.
