Chelsea thrash West Ham 5-0 to boost European hopes

Blues produce scintillating attacking display

Chelsea strengthened their chances of securing European football next season as they cruised to a 5-0 victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues produced a scintillating attacking performance to raise further questions about David Moyes' future.

Chelsea welcomed Thiago Silva back into the starting XI after injury, while a number of previously injured stars, including N'Golo Kante and Reece James, made the substitutes' bench. West Ham, meanwhile, were without the suspended Declan Rice.

The visitors were a slow, disorganised mess and their lethargy was reflected in the way they conceded the opening two goals. The first came after just ten minutes, when Mason Mount played a clever pass to find Christian Pulisic, who fired home from close range. Just five minutes later, it was 2-0, as Kai Havertz headed in from a Ben Chilwell cross.

Chelsea continued to dominate and could have added to their lead before half-time, but they were denied by a number of fine saves from Lukasz Fabianski. The Hammers improved slightly in the second half, but they were still no match for a rampant Chelsea side.

Timo Werner made it 3-0 with a clinical finish on the hour mark, before substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth with a powerful header. Hakim Ziyech completed the scoring with a fine solo effort in the closing stages.

The victory moved Chelsea up to seventh in the Premier League, just three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal. The Blues have now won four of their last five matches and will be confident of securing a top-four finish.

Conclusion

Chelsea's scintillating attacking performance against West Ham was a timely reminder of their quality. The Blues have now scored 13 goals in their last three matches and are looking like a force to be reckoned with once again. David Moyes, on the other hand, has a lot of work to do if he is to turn things around at West Ham. The Hammers have now lost four of their last five matches and are in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.