Chelsea drop first points of season as West Ham dig in for hard-earned draw

Chelsea may be only two points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League but they are “maybe one year” in arrears in where they are as a team, their head coach, Maurizio Sarri, claimed.

Following this goalless draw with West Ham United, a London derby that could have been lost as easily as it could have been won, Chelsea will face Liverpool in a double-header.

There is the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield on Wednesday, for which Sarri said he would “maybe have to change 11 players, maybe only five”, and then there is the Premier League meeting next weekend at Stamford Bridge. The expectation was that both teams would go into Saturday’s fixture with six wins from six League matches, which would have been unprecedented in the English top flight. Instead, it is Liverpool who remain in pristine condition, and who have the advantage, with Sarri arguing they are ahead of his team. Chelsea remain unbeaten but are far from perfect.

“We have to play against a very, very good team. Against a team who have worked with the same coach for three or four years,” Sarri said. “They are a step forward of us at this moment. We have started to work altogether 35-40 days ago and, 40 days ago less 10 for the international break, so, for us, it’s a bit early. We have to work then maybe, in one year, we will be at the same level as Liverpool.”

Given that Chelsea won the title only two years ago, that may not be an assessment shared by the club’s hierarchy, although it is undoubtedly true that having come in with pre-season preparations already underway, Sarri has done a very impressive job.

There was a clear piece of evidence of “Sarri-ball” here – with midfielder Jorginho attempting 180 passes, the most by any player in the Premier League since 2003-04, but there was also food for thought as West Ham provided further evidence of recovery after their disappointing start to the season.

Predictably, manager Manuel Pellegrini set them up to defend deep, almost deliberately to surrender possession but also to hit hard on the counter-attack – which they did to great effect. Pellegrini also instructed his players to force Chelsea to play down their right and therefore have to rely more on Cesar Azpilicueta, who is far less of an attacking threat than Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard.

Disappointing for Chelsea was the performance of Hazard, who had been excused the midweek trip to Greece in the Europa League but did not repay that with the kind of dominant display of which he is so capable. Instead, Hazard almost appeared hesitant at times as he twice attempted to tee up substitute Alvaro Morata rather than shoot. Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi would have taken the shot.

It was an odd game. Close to the final whistle, the stadium announcer declared Andriy Yarmolenko as the man of the match – the West Ham forward who missed a sitter and gifted Chelsea their best chance.

Not that Yarmolenko played badly. Nor did West Ham. Far from it. They could have won if Michail Antonio had not wasted two clear first-half chances. They sorely missed Marko Arnautovic, who failed to recover from a knee injury, but having lost their first four League games, West Ham built on the confidence of winning at Everton last weekend with, in particular, Declan Rice anchoring the midfield with power and authority.

The 19-year-old again impressed and created a formidable defensive barrier against Chelsea, who were sluggish. Olivier Giroud was a disappointment at centre-forward.

Antonio, who took that position in the West Ham line-up, was given his first opportunity through a clever counter-attack, with Felipe Anderson tricking his way past Azpilicueta to release the forward who then blazed over the bar. 

Soon after, Yarmolenko worked his way into the penalty area, after being picked out by Rice. The ball broke to Antonio, whose first-time, close-range shot was parried at the near post by goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with his left leg.

Chelsea came to life once Morata replaced Giroud, although it probably had more to do with the urgency of the clock running down. They had their best chance as Yarmolenko clumsily failed to clear a cross which inadvertently rebounded off David Luiz and into Morata’s path. He attempted to flick a first-time shot over Lukasz Fabianski only for it to strike the goalkeeper flush in the face and rebound clear.

Fabianski was left dazed but it was West Ham who should have delivered the knockout blow when substitute Robert Snodgrass picked out Yarmolenko. At the far post and unmarked, he surely had to head into the net but sent the ball wide. “Maybe it seemed easier to score than miss. Maybe he relaxed a bit more,” Pellegrini said. Either way, it was bad.

Would Chelsea capitalise? N’Golo Kante skied over and then, in injury time, Jorginho found substitute Ross Barkley, who drove a tricky cross-shot which Fabianski did well to turn around the post.

Had Chelsea won, Sarri would have become only the third manager – after one of his predecessors at Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti, and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola – to have won his first six games in the Premier League but, in truth, his team never quite did enough. Next up, it is Liverpool and what Sarri said could be a “spectacular” match. This one was not that.

3:28PM

Jorginho update

3:21PM

Full time

And that's it. Chelsea have dropped points for the first time this season as West Ham earn a well-deserved point. As exciting a goalless draw as they come.

3:20PM

90 mins +4

Into the final minute and the ball is bouncing around in midfield. Chelsea eventually get it under control but loft a couple of long balls towards the right wing and neither finds its target.

3:19PM

90 mins +3

Snodgrass takes Willian down and is booked for what is a horrible foul out on the right wing. Chelsea have a free-kick in a decent position on the right, but Willian's delivery is poor. West Ham clear.

3:18PM

90 mins +2

Jorginho scoops a wonderful ball over the top of the West Ham defence and he puts Willian in on goal. It takes an age for it to drop for him and the angle is tight but this is a huge chance. Willian slams a shot at goal but gets it oh, so wrong and it flies out... for a throw-in.

3:17PM

90 mins

Hazard cuts back to Barkley, who curls towards the far post and a sprawling Fabianski palms it wide.

We're into added on time. There'll be four more minutes.

3:15PM

89 mins

So many Kante chances today.

3:14PM

88 mins

A couple of minutes plus stoppage time remain. West Ham are in the ascendancy, it seems, but never write Hazard and co off.

As I type, Hazard crosses low, and too close to Fabianski, who gathers easily.

3:11PM

85 mins

Another West Ham sub: Noble jogs off, Carlos Sanchez comes on.

3:08PM

81 mins

Willian turns on the burners and is away from Zabaleta in a heartbeat. He accelerates down the left, and squares, where a yellow shirt is waiting - but yet again it's Kante there, and he leans back and swipes a left-footed shot well over the crossbar.

3:06PM

78 mins

West Ham with a decent spell of possession - for the first time this half - and they build patiently. Snodgrass does well to wriggle away from his man on the left, then hangs a great cross up to the back post. He finds Yarmolenko completely, totally, utterly free.

He stoops to head at goal, and Kepa is rooted to the spot. It looks for all the world like he is going to put West Ham in front, but SOMEHOW he puts it wide. What. A. Miss.

Barkley then replaces Kovacic for Chelsea's final sub.

3:01PM

75 mins - West Ham 0 Chelsea 0

It's poor, really poor from Hazard, who has had an off day (cue a Hazard winner) so far. The ball bounces kindly for him and he is one on one with the last defender, 30 yards from goal. Rather than bringing it down he tries to flick it on for Morata, but only succeeds in finding a claret shirt. A real waste.

2:59PM

73 mins

Another West Ham sub: Snodgrass replaces Anderson, who has faded in this second half.

2:56PM

69 mins

Bad news for Chelsea. Rudiger is clearly injured and needs to come off - he's holding his groin, and so it's a chance for Gary Cahill, who this week said he wasn't willing to sit on the bench and would leave in January if he didn't get more game time. 

Here's your big chance, Gaz.

2:54PM

67 mins

What a ball from Willian and what a run by Hazard. They combine brilliantly and for some reason Hazard backheels to try and find Morata, but West Ham get back to clear.

Chelsea come again, with a Willian cross floated up to the back post. Luiz gets away from Yarmolenko and squares for Morata, who has a huge chance to score with what must be his first touch... He tries to poke it over Fabianski but the keeper stands tall and saves with his head!

2:51PM

65 mins

A sub for each team:

Morata replaces Giroud for Chelsea, while Lucas Perez comes on for Antonio up front for the hosts.

2:50PM

64 mins

Ah, here comes Alvaro Morata!

2:50PM

64 mins

It's been a pretty quiet start to the half for Chelsea, and Sarri must be considering making a change. Giroud has been completely peripheral.

2:48PM

60 mins

Jorginho update: He has attempted 104 passes with 30 minutes remaining.

2:44PM

57 mins

Antonio beats Alonso to a ball down the West Ham right, then all of a sudden has Rudiger one-on-one. 

He knocks the ball past him then takes him on in a race, which for a split second it looks like Antonio might win, but Rudiger recovers well and gets back to pass back to Kepa.

2:42PM

56 mins

Luiz sends a free header well over the bar from Willian's corner. He doesn't look too upset about that but it did look like a very good chance.

2:40PM

54 mins

Good build-up from West Ham and Masuaku gets forward to cross into the middle, where Yarmolenko is arriving, but Luiz puts enough pressure on him to squeeze it clear.

2:39PM

52 mins

Diop comes charging out of defence to intercept a pass towards Hazard - but fails and that allows the Belgian to turn. He feeds Willian on the right, who skips past Anderson but is taken down, and we have a second yellow of the day. 

The free-kick then comes to nothing.

2:37PM

50 mins

First yellow card of the day goes to N'Golo Kante, who takes Anderson down on halfway to bring a West Ham counter to a swift end.

Yarmolenko then gets the chance to cut in onto his left for the first time today, and sends a decent effort just over Kepa's bar.

2:34PM

48 mins

The sun is out and we have a very different look to things out there. Can either team change the way the game looks with a goal?

2:31PM

They're back out

No changes for either team. West Ham get the second half started.

2:26PM

91!

We could be on for a record here - the record for successful passes is 167, set by Ilkay Gundogan earlier this year. Jorginho has made 86 already today.

2:17PM

Half time - West Ham 0 Chelsea 0

And that's the final action of the half.

It's been a good game, Chelsea seeing much more of the ball and creating more chances, though West Ham might well be ahead but for a smart save from Kepa to deny Antonio. 

All the possession might just grind West Ham down as the game goes on, but for now it remains goalless at the break.

2:15PM

45 mins

Hazard lofts the ball over to Willian on the right side of the box, and he crosses on the volley into the middle - but not for the first time today it is Kante arriving to meet it rather than Giroud, who you'd assume Sarri would rather be there. He can only head wide.

2:13PM

43 mins

Antonio is working so, so hard up front, and Obiang is doing his best to get forward and provide some support through the centre. All of West Ham's players are putting in the hard yards. It's going to be a tough afternoon for them, and I just wonder whether they'll tire as the game drags on.

2:10PM

40 mins

A pretty even game so far.. it probably should be 1-0 to West Ham, but Chelsea have had more opportunities.

2:09PM

36 mins

It's not really working for Chelsea at the moment. Giroud hasn't been involved.

2:03PM

31 mins

And another - even better - chance for Antonio! Rice puts Yarmolenko free down the right, and he is running at Luiz. He looks keen to get onto his left, but Luiz isn't having any of it, showing him down the outside onto the winger's less favoured right.

Luiz gets his body in the way and blocks Yarmolenko off, but the ball runs through to Antonio, just a few yards from goal. He swings a leg at it but slams his shot straight at Kepa. The volume has risen in the London Stadium noticeably.

2:00PM

30 mins

West Ham have been struggling to keep the ball, so when they do get it they need to take advantage. Anderson gives them a hope with a flick of the boot and in an instant he is away from Azpilicueta down the left. He then feeds Antonio, who has a clean shot at goal.... but lifts it well over the bar. A real waste.

1:59PM

28 mins

We have a new contender for Most Sunday League Thing of the Day as Fabianski's attempted clearance goes straight up in the air and lands at the edge of the box, where Balbuena swings wildly at it, and volleys straight up above his own head, before needing a second bite at it to clear properly. 

1:56PM

25 mins

25 minutes in and Kepa has touches the ball four times in the Chelsea goal, each time to play a short pass. Very little action up that end indeed.

1:54PM

23 mins

Jorginho lifts a ball into the box towards Giroud, but pressure from Masuaku puts him off - possibly slightly illegally - at the very last second. There's no suggestion of a penalty appeal, but there was definitely a little contact.

1:51PM

22 mins

A first corner of the game for West Ham, won by Anderson down the left. He lines up a cross into the box... but it's poor, and chance is gone.

1:48PM

18 mins

Not much action inside the Chelsea box - or half for that matter - so far.

1:46PM

16 mins

Alonso floats a ball into the box, but it's Kante of all people underneath it... and surprisingly enough crossing towards the smallest man on the pitch doesn't come to anything.

1:43PM

13 mins

Nice play from Chelsea. Kovacic fizzes a ball in to Willian, who flicks it with his in-step into the path of Hazard on the left, but the angle is too tight and his drilled shot is easily saved.

1:41PM

10 mins

It's been a fairly open start here, and both teams have begun positively. However, chances have been hard to come by thus far. Giroud has just had the best chance of the game, but he heads straight at Fabianski from a corner.

1:38PM

7 mins

First shot of the day comes when Felipe Anderson is urged by the fans to have a go from distance, but Kante charges it down.

Zabaleta than manages to do the most Sunday League thing the ever, going to cross with his right, tapping the ball with his left big toe away from his swinging right boot and knocking the ball out for a goal kick. Amazing.

1:36PM

5 mins

A lovely ball from Hazard scythes through West Ham and gives Willian a bit of space on the right. His square ball looks destined for Giroud in the box but Balbuena cuts it out and clears.

West Ham break with Zabaleta finding Yarmolenko, who stands a ball up to the back post where Obiang is arriving, but he can't quite pull back to Antonio.

1:33PM

2 mins

Antonio with an early suggestion he might be able to hold the ball up sufficiently well today, holding off Alonso well as West Ham start positively down the right.

1:30PM

Kick-off

I'm a big fan of both kits on show today: West Ham in their usual claret and blue - but this season's kit is very, very sleek - and Chelsea in lovely, bright yellow, with blue socks. 

Oh, and they are under way. Let's do this.

1:27PM

Here come the players

It's wet and chilly in Stratford. Just a few minutes until kick-off.

1:21PM

Manuel Pellegrini's pre-match thoughts

"Marko tried until the last minute to see if he was fit, but he felt uncomfortable yesterday in training and this morning he couldn't run properly.

"It's not the best news to play against one of the league's leaders without him, but we have a whole squad to use. Antonio gets a chance today

"[Against Everton] We got three points without changing tactic, against a strong team in a difficult stadium, and that makes a difference to our belief.

"We need to win, because we need the points and it will give us more trust in what we are trying to do."

1:10PM

Meanwhile in Holland

Steven Berghuis has been assaulted* on the pitch.

*not so much assaulted, more caressed.

1:06PM

Some pre-match reading

For the West Ham fans: 

• Arnautovic on maturing since his days sharing a flat with Mario Balotelli

For the Chelsea fans:

• How Giroud's hold-up play is unlocking Hazard's goal-scoring potential

12:59PM

At the stadium...

Arnautovic is at the ground, but unable to play today... 

...while there is a familiar face in the away dugout:

12:54PM

The teams in plain English

West Ham (4-5-1): Fabianski; Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku; Obiang, Rice, Noble (C), Anderson, Yarmolenko; Antonio

Chelsea (4-3-3): Kepa; Rudiger, Azpilicueta (C), Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Hazard, Giroud

12:34PM

The teams are in

Arnautovic is out with a knee injury for West Ham, so it looks like Michail Antonio starts up front.

One change for Chelsea, too: Pedro doesn't make it, so Willian starts. Olivier Giroud leads the line again.

12:18PM

A big day in the Premier League

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the first of two huge Premier League games this afternoon: we kick off with a London derby from the Olympic Park in Stratford, as West Ham host Chelsea.

Talk to a West Ham fan a week ago and they would have had a rather more bleak outlook on the season that they do now: the 3-1 win at Everton last Sunday has changed the complexion of their start to life under Manuel Pellegrini.

The summer had hinted that heavy investment and a manager who had won a Premier League title would make this campaign one to remember. Four defeats later and the best anyone was really hoping for was survival.

But the manner of the victory at Goodison Park, which included two goals for new signing Andriy Yarmolenko and bright performances from Felipe Anderson and Marko Arnautovic, has breathed new life into the team.

So, what now, then, with Chelsea, who have enjoyed a perfect start under Maurizio Sarri, coming to town?

The visitors will, of course, still be big favourites to win, so impressive have they been so far this season, but there is a faint hope of an upset now that West Ham have a win under their belt.

Any weakness in either team looks most likely to be found in defence: Eden Hazard versus Pablo Zabaleta should be fun, while at the other end Arnautovic is good enough to cause David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger a problem or two.

It would probably be slightly misguided for West Ham to go all out attack, but hopefully they'll commit men forward when they get the chance, and that should make for a decent game.

Both teams are likely to be largely unchanged, though Chelsea have doubts over Mateo Kovacic and Pedro. We'll find out for sure soon enough - we're expecting team news about 12.30pm.