Chelsea’s Crown, West Ham’s Fight for Air
Chelsea host West Ham United on Saturday with first place to protect and the visitors one point from safety.
82 points.
Chelsea have 82 points from 30 games, five clear of perfection after their first league defeat since January. It is a bruise, not a collapse: Chelsea have won 27 league games this season, drawn one and lost two.
West Ham are 18th on 29 points from 32 matches, one point from safety. Their 1-1 draw with Sheffield United today makes it two league games unbeaten, following a 1-1 draw at Everton. That is a small foothold after a grim run, and they will need every scrap of it against the leaders.
The last meeting offers little comfort for the visitors. Chelsea won 2-0 at West Ham on 1 December, and have won the three most recent meetings listed between the clubs. Maurício, now at Chelsea, spent the previous two seasons at West Ham; an old connection adds a human thread to a contest with plenty already at stake.
West Ham are also without Steve Moore, a regular at the heart of their defence, after a pectoral strain. Chelsea will be keen to answer today’s setback, while West Ham arrive with a chance to turn a hard-earned draw into something more consequential. The table puts both sides under pressure, though for very different reasons.