West Ham vs Chelsea will be an epic London battle to watch.
Both sides are coming off respective 1-1 draws in their 2023/24 season opener to battle for their first three points of the season on Sunday 20 August 2023.
Both London rivals have undergone big squad changes this season and both managers are walking on razor edges with their club's administration.
As the Premier League season heats up and teams become more serious, West Ham vs Chelsea is poised to provide five-star entertainment for fans of both clubs and lovers of the English top flight.
Read on to learn more about the team news, lineups and match predictions.
🏟 First home match
⚔️ Facing Chelsea
➕ Additions to the coaching staffDavid Moyes previews Sunday's game 🗣
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 18, 2023
West Ham vs Chelsea team news
West Ham have ended talks with Manchester City over Lucas Paquetá, which means that the Brazilian is theirs for the foreseeable future.
For this reason, he is expected to be on hand for David Moyes as the Hammers prepare to Welcome Chelsea.
Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse could also be handed debuts against the Blues. Moyes has a fully fit squad to choose from.
Meanwhile, Pochettino will have a selection headache over who plays in midfield for him.
With the additions of Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, picking a partner for Enzo Fernandez in the heart of the midfield will be a tough choice.
Introducing a new Blue! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/vdHynMOMti
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 18, 2023
Captain Reece James is the only major casualty from the first week. He joins Benoit Badiashile, Armando Broja, Christopher Nkunku and Wesley Fofana on the sidelines for the Blues.
West Ham vs Chelsea probable lineups
West Ham
Goalkeeper: Alfonse Areola
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal, Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Emerson
Midfielders: Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse; Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, Saïd Benrahma
Forwards: Michail Antonio.
Aguerd and Benrahma always come with the good vibes 😂 pic.twitter.com/lQFHABGE8C
— West Ham United (@WestHam) August 19, 2023
Chelsea
Goalkeeper: Roberto Sanchez
Defenders: Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell
Midfielders: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Connor Gallagher
Forwards: Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, Mykhalo Mudryk
West Ham vs Chelsea confirmed line-ups
*Lineups will be automatically updated shortly after they're released
West Ham vs Chelsea predictions
Prediction 1: Chelsea win
West Ham vs Chelsea on 20 August 2023 will be a close one like most matches between these two London sides.
However, Chelsea are the more balanced team on paper in terms of quality, talent and squad depth.
This will give them the upper hand as they seal their first three points of the new season.
Prediction 2: Both teams to score
Chelsea are yet to get their defence right. It may take a while for Pochettino to do this and do it convincingly.
Moyes and West Ham will see this as an opportunity to score their first home goal of the 2023/24 Premier League season.
However, Chelsea will take home all three points, as stated earlier.
Nigerian players to watch in West Ham vs Chelsea fixture
Noni Madueke
Noni Madueke is of Nigerian descent and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are understood to be working on convincing him before England does.
The former PSV Eindhoven forward was involved in the second half of Chelsea's 2022/23 season after joining the club in January.
He is yet to make his debut for the club this season but it is likely he will get a run in the West Ham vs Chelsea match.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Carney Chukwuemeka is one of the fastest-rising stars in the last three seasons.
Since breaking through from the Aston Villa academy to the Aston Villa first team, the 19-year-old has appeared in 28 Premier League games across two seasons as a professional footballer.
He was also involved in Chelsea's opening game of the 2023/24 season, which shows that Mauricio Pochettino has faith in him.
He will get a run in the West Ham vs Chelsea match. Chukwuemeka is of Nigerian descent and is yet to declare his international future.
However, fans of the Nigeria national football team hope that the NFF can convince him before England does.
The following injury update has been provided ahead of #WhuChe. ⤵️
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 18, 2023
Where to watch West Ham vs Chelsea live in Nigeria
You can catch all the action live on Supersport Gotv Football, Supersport Maximo and the Supersport Premier League channel if you live in Nigeria.
This article was most recently revised and updated 2 months ago
