The last time West Ham scored after seven minutes against Chelsea, they were eventually beaten 5‑1 – but this collapse felt different.
In that early‑season meeting, the Hammers were poor defensively at London Stadium in a one‑sided contest. This time, they were simply on the wrong end of a tight match.
After two early chances in the second half, it felt as though West Ham might have deserved to be 3‑0 up, but Chelsea’s substitutions transformed the contest.
Even at 2‑2, West Ham had an opportunity to win it, but Jean-Clair Todibo wasted a good close‑range chance.
Historically, Stamford Bridge has not been a happy hunting ground for West Ham. They have won there only once in their past 20 visits and have now lost five in a row at the ground.
Yet although West Ham have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their past 21 matches, they continue to look dangerous going forward. Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are in form, while Taty Castellanos appears an upgrade on Niklas Fullkrug, now on loan at AC Milan.
Their two league wins beforehand – and three in all competitions – were deserved, with their current league position owing largely to a dismal run throughout 2025 under former boss Graham Potter.
There remains some hope of survival under Nuno Espirito Santo, but they must maintain this level of performance consistently and, with the transfer window still open, may need to add a defender or two.