West Ham take on the visitors Chelsea in the round 2 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Friday, August 22nd at London Stadium (London).
West Ham have always been fairly ambitious. Under Moyes they even managed to win a European trophy, albeit the youngest and least prestigious one — the Conference League. But a year ago they parted ways with David, replacing him with Lopetegui, under whom they also invested more than a hundred million in new signings. However, with Julen, and then essentially with Graham Potter who replaced the Spaniard in 2024, the team not only failed to improve but ended up with just 10 wins, 43 points, and a disappointing 14th place finish. After the summer break, against newly promoted Sunderland, they suffered a complete collapse with a 0-3 defeat. West Ham’s defensive issues have been particularly worrying, as they conceded eight goals in their first three matches this season. Their inability to create consistent chances in attack only adds to the pressure on Potter, who is already facing scrutiny from the fans.
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Chelsea are aiming for new victories. The Blues went through a difficult period after Abramovich was forced to sell the club, combining massive spending with poor results. Only with Maresca, who arrived a year ago, did they finally revive and achieve the necessary performances. Domestically, they climbed back to 4th place in the Premier League, which means a return to the Champions League. In the Conference League, Chelsea confidently won the trophy — they were clear favorites and only confirmed their status. Later, during the summer, alongside signing new players, they added further success by winning the FIFA Club World Cup. Now, however, UEFA sanctions mean they need to actively sell players. Against Crystal Palace, they stumbled out of the gate, failing to score and settling for a goalless draw. Still, Chelsea’s new signings like Sesko and Ugarte have brought fresh energy into the squad. Their unbeaten run of nine competitive matches across all tournaments shows that the team is becoming more stable under Maresca.
In the 2024–25 season, Chelsea won all three of the last head-to-head matches against their London neighbors. The visitors are rightly considered favorites — they simply cannot afford a setback, even in the form of another draw, given how fierce the competition is for places among the leaders in England. The bet here is for the visitors to win.
Prediction for the match: Chelsea to win.
