Chelsea staged a stirring fightback to ruin Graham Potter’s return to Stamford Bridge and climb to fourth place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win against West Ham on Monday.
Potter, who was sacked by Chelsea in 2023 after just seven months in charge, was hoping for a victory over his former team. Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham the lead in the first half, but Chelsea recovered from a listless start to equalize through Pedro Neto after the interval. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s late own goal then shattered Potter’s revenge mission.
This win moved Chelsea two points above Manchester City and Newcastle in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League via a top-four finish. It was the first time they had taken three points in a home league game after trailing at half-time since 2013. Chelsea’s second win in eight league matches was a welcome boost for Enzo Maresca, after the Blues boss complained that the transfer window was distracting his players. With players like Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell, and Carney Chukwuemeka all subject to transfer rumors, Maresca will have been relieved to see Chelsea finally ignore the speculation on the day the January window closed.
Potter insisted that being axed by Chelsea after winning just 12 of his 31 games could be “the best thing that happens to me.” The 49-year-old returned to management last month at West Ham, and almost two years on from his Chelsea dismissal, he made his first return to the Bridge. But there was no happy ending for Potter as Maresca beat his former West Brom teammate. West Ham have won once in five games in all competitions since Potter took charge but sit 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
The match itself was a dramatic affair. West Ham took the lead through Bowen’s composed finish, but Chelsea improved significantly in the second half. Neto’s equalizer gave the team confidence, and Chelsea continued to press. Palmer’s late shot, deflected by Wan-Bissaka, sealed the victory for Chelsea.
This game showed that Chelsea can demonstrate their best qualities even in difficult situations. The win is important for the team and will allow them to continue the fight for a higher place in the league table.