MY ACCOUNT
East and West London collide when Chelsea meet West Ham and the rivals have produced a number of classic matches down the years.
The links between the clubs are well-established, with Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Declan Rice among those to have crossed the city divide.
Before the rivals lock horns once more in today’s early kick-off, LiveScore takes a look at four classic Premier League encounters.
West Ham 3-2 Chelsea (1997)
Kicking off our list of classic match-ups is a 90s thriller that saw the Hammers grab a last-gasp winner.
The visitors took the lead thanks to some excellent play from Gianfranco Zola, who burst through the Irons’ backline before squaring to Gianluca Vialli to put the Blues ahead.
A Julian Dicks penalty levelled the game in the second half before Paul Kitson put Harry Redknapp’s team in front with just over 20 minutes to go.
Drama struck in the 87th minute when Mark Hughes headed in to equalise, seemingly leaving the hosts to settle for a draw.
But Kitson had other ideas as he turned in a 90th-minute corner and sent Upton Park into a frenzy.
Chelsea 4-2 West Ham (2000)
The new millennium witnessed a cracker when Chelsea welcomed their London rivals to Stamford Bridge.
The affair was well contested with hassling and harrying evident all over the pitch but it was Chelsea who took the lead courtesy of a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink penalty.
West Ham’s Frank Lampard — who made the move across town the following summer — was putting on an impressive display, with Dennis Wise doing all he could to limit the young Englishman’s time on the ball.
A cool finish from Paolo Di Canio brought the Hammers level after Davor Suker and Frederic Kanoute combined to provide the Italian with his chance.
Zola restored the hosts’ lead with an impressive free-kick from 25 yards out before a double from Mario Stanic put Chelsea into a commanding 4-1 lead.
Stanic’s first goal stole the show, with the Croatian juggling the ball before smashing a 35-yard volley into the top corner of the net.
Kanoute’s goal in the last few minutes was nothing but a consolation as Chelsea ran out winners.
Chelsea 2-3 West Ham (2002)
West Ham’s victory over Chelsea in 2002 goes down in history as one of their most memorable performances against the West London club.
The win was the Hammers’ first of the 2002-03 campaign and the match itself is remembered for an incredible goal by the iconic Di Canio.
The match started in a similar fashion to their meeting in 2000, with Hasselbaink putting Chelsea in front through a penalty, before Jermain Defoe pulled one back for the away side.
The second half very quickly became the Di Canio show, as the Italian flicked the ball up and smashed home a thunderous volley from 30 yards to give his side the lead.
Zola dispatched a textbook free-kick to draw the hosts level but it was the Irons who had the last laugh.
Di Canio’s simple finish inside the Chelsea box sent the away fans into delirium as Glenn Roeder’s men won in a season that would ultimately end in relegation.
Chelsea 2-2 West Ham (2016)
The 2015-16 campaign saw Chelsea record the worst title defence in Premier League history — finishing 10th and winning just 12 games.
During this dramatic season, West Ham visited Stamford Bridge in what would become yet another classic match.
The game was evenly poised before the away side took the lead through a curling Manuel Lanzini effort — only for Cesc Fabregas to equalise with a fabulous free-kick.
West Ham would strike again with Andy Carroll tucking his effort past Chelsea stopper Thibaut Courtois.
But Fabregas had the last laugh as the Spaniard dispatched a penalty in the 89th minute to frustrate the Hammers’ Champions League ambitions.
