Chelsea thrashes West Ham 5-1 to claim their first Premier League win under Enzo Maresca
Chelsea stormed to their first victory of the 2025/26 Premier League season on Friday night, coming from behind to thrash West Ham 5–1 in a London derby at the London Stadium. After drawing their opening fixture, the Blues now sit on four points and move provisionally to the top of the table, while the Hammers remain bottom after back-to-back defeats.
West Ham Strike First, Chelsea Respond Ruthlessly
The hosts made the brighter start and shocked Chelsea within six minutes, when Lucas Paquetá cut in from the left and blasted a powerful strike past the goalkeeper to make it 1–0.
But Enzo Maresca’s side reacted almost immediately. From a 15th-minute corner, Marc Cucurella flicked the ball on at the near post, and João Pedro pounced to level the score. Just minutes later, a sloppy West Ham mistake in possession gifted João Pedro the ball, and he slid a perfect cross to Pedro Neto, who finished calmly for 2–1.
Chelsea’s momentum only grew. In the 34th minute, young Brazilian Estêvão combined with Liam Delap before delivering a pinpoint cross for Enzo Fernández to convert, giving the Blues a commanding 3–1 halftime lead.
Dominance Turns Into Rout
After the break, Chelsea showed no mercy. Early chances fell to Fernández, but the fourth goal came when West Ham goalkeeper Hermansen fumbled a corner, leaving Moisés Caicedo to smash home from close range.
With the Hammers visibly deflated, Chelsea capitalized again. Another Hermansen error in the 59th minute allowed João Pedro to head the ball into the danger area, where Trevoh Chalobah bundled it over the line to make it 5–1.
From there, Maresca’s men controlled possession, slowed the tempo, and conserved energy, sealing an emphatic away win and their first three points of the new campaign.
Early Statement From Maresca’s Chelsea
The emphatic performance not only lifted Chelsea to the provisional top of the Premier League table but also showcased the squad depth under Maresca, with João Pedro and Pedro Neto shining in attack and youngsters like Estêvão making decisive contributions.
The Blues will now look to build on this momentum as they continue their push for consistency under their new coach, while West Ham face mounting pressure after a disappointing start to the season.
BIG AWAY WIN! 🖤#CFC | #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/coYixr0ttm
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2025
