Chelsea overturned a 2-0 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory over West Ham in a thrilling Premier League London derby at Stamford Bridge. Enzo Fernandez scored the winner in the 92nd minute after impactful substitutions turned the game. The result moves Chelsea temporarily into the top four, while West Ham remains five points from safety.
The match on January 31, 2026, began with West Ham dominating the first half. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez erred on an in-swinging delivery, allowing West Ham to take the lead, though details point to Jared Bowen and Crysencio Summerville as the scorers for a 2-0 advantage. Chelsea suffered an early setback when Jamie Gittens was forced off with a foot injury, replaced by Pedro Neto.
Under manager Liam Rosenior, who made seven changes from the midweek Champions League win over Napoli, Chelsea looked vulnerable. West Ham, managed by Nuno Espirito Santo and coming off wins against Tottenham and Sunderland, pressed effectively.
At halftime, Rosenior introduced Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, and Joao Pedro, replacing Benoit Badiashile, Alejandro Garnacho, and Jorrel Hato. The substitutes proved decisive in the second half. Pedro halved the deficit in the 52nd minute with a header from Fofana's cross. Thirteen minutes later, Cucurella equalized with a diving header from a Neto delivery after Malo Gusto's knockdown and Liam Delap hitting the crossbar.
West Ham had chances to regain the lead, with Jean-Clair Todibo striking the post from close range. However, Fernandez sealed the comeback in stoppage time, turning home Gusto's pull-back to spark jubilation at Stamford Bridge.
Chaos ensued in the closing moments when Adama Traore shoved Cucurella, leading to a melee. Todibo was sent off after grabbing Pedro by the throat, confirmed by VAR, and will miss three matches. Chelsea's starting lineup included Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Hato, Caicedo, Fernandez, Gittens, Palmer, Garnacho, and Delap. West Ham fielded Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Diouf, Soucek, Fernandes, Summerville, Bowen, Pablo, and Taty Castellanos.
This win marks Chelsea's second consecutive comeback victory in four days, boosting their top-four aspirations. West Ham, still in the relegation fight, showed resilience but paid for lapses in discipline.
