West Ham United faced a nightmare start to their home season, getting completely outplayed in a brutal 5-1 loss to rivals Chelsea at the London Stadium. On Friday, August 22, 2025, the Hammers, already on shaky ground after a 3-0 defeat to Sunderland, hoped to win over their home fans. Instead, they were torn apart by a dominant Chelsea side, who didn’t even have their star player, Cole Palmer, on the field after he got injured warming up.
From an electric start to a total defensive meltdown, here’s a look at how the match unfolded.
Match Highlights: How It All Went Wrong
6’ – Lucas Paquetá Puts West Ham Ahead The game started with so much promise. Lucas Paquetá gave the London Stadium a reason to roar with a brilliant early goal. He pounced on a mistake by the Chelsea defense and calmly slotted the ball in, giving West Ham a 1-0 lead. The fans were buzzing, thinking this could be a major upset against Enzo Maresca’s team.
15’ – João Pedro Levels for Chelsea That excitement didn’t last long. Chelsea hit back quickly. After a corner from Pedro Neto, Marc Cucurella flicked the ball on, and João Pedro was there to head it in for his first Premier League goal for the Blues. It was an early warning sign that West Ham’s defense was not ready, especially when dealing with set pieces.
17’ – West Ham’s Goal Disallowed Just moments later, West Ham thought they had reclaimed the lead. Niclas Füllkrug put the ball in the net, but after a long check, VAR ruled it offside. The decision zapped the energy out of the home team and the crowd. On social media, fans were already complaining that the call was too harsh.
23’ – Pedro Neto Puts Chelsea Ahead Chelsea took full advantage of West Ham’s disappointment. Paquetá lost the ball in a bad spot to Trevoh Chalobah. João Pedro then chipped a perfect cross to an open Pedro Neto, who volleyed it into the goal, making it 1-2. The Hammers’ defense was caught sleeping—a problem that would repeat throughout the match.
30’ – Enzo Fernández Extends Chelsea’s Lead The young Brazilian Estêvão, who replaced the injured Palmer, showed exactly why he’s so highly rated. He ran into the penalty box, squared a beautiful pass to Enzo Fernández, who had an easy tap-in. The score was now 1-3. The home crowd was in shock, with boos ringing out as the players went into the halftime break.
54’ – Moises Caicedo Scores on Goalkeeper Error The second half started just as badly as the first ended. Just nine minutes in, West Ham’s new goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen, misjudged yet another corner. The ball went straight to Moises Caicedo, who hammered it into the net to make it 1-4. The Hammers’ struggles with set-pieces were now a glaring weakness.
58’ – Trevoh Chalobah Seals the Rout Chelsea’s dominance was complete when João Pedro set up Trevoh Chalobah for a left-footed strike, making it a humiliating 1-5. This was Chelsea’s fifth goal from a cross, highlighting just how disorganized West Ham’s defense was. Many fans had seen enough and started leaving the stadium early.
What the Stats Show
- Final Score: West Ham United 1-5 Chelsea
- Goal Scorers: Paquetá (6’) for West Ham; João Pedro (15’), Neto (23’), Fernández (30’), Caicedo (54’), Chalobah (58’) for Chelsea
- Venue: London Stadium, London
This result was particularly painful for West Ham. Chelsea’s five goals within the first hour marked only the third time a visiting team has ever scored that many so quickly in a Premier League London derby. For manager Graham Potter, the pressure is at an all-time high. With just nine points from his first 20 matches, this is the worst start for any West Ham manager in Premier League history.
Analysis: A Tale of Two Teams
West Ham showed a brief flicker of hope with Paquetá’s early goal, but their defensive mistakes, especially on set pieces and crosses, were simply too much to overcome. Graham Potter, facing his old club, now finds his team at the very bottom of the Premier League table.
Chelsea, on the other hand, proved their incredible squad depth. Even without their star player, Palmer, players like Estêvão and João Pedro stepped up brilliantly. Enzo Maresca’s team, with this convincing victory, temporarily climbed to the top of the table, sending a clear message about their title ambitions.
What’s Next?
West Ham, now sitting in 19th place, will travel to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 26, 2025. They desperately need a good performance to take some of the heat off Potter. Meanwhile, a confident Chelsea team will look to continue their winning ways against Tottenham.