Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Chelsea condemned lacklustre West Ham to a third consecutive home defeat in the English Premier League.
Chelsea took a fourth-minute lead after West Ham’s players switched off at a free-kick, which allowed Jadon Sancho to send Jackson clear on the left.
Jackson left Edson Alvarez trailing in his wake and then cut inside on to his right foot and threaded a low shot through the legs of Alphonse Areola.
The Hammers’ lack of intensity was in evidence again 14 minutes later as Moises Caicedo was afforded time to slip the jet-heeled Jackson in again.
This time, Jackson left behind Max Kilman and produced a deft finish with the outside of the boot, with Areola caught in no-man’s land.
Chelsea effectively wrapped up the points two minutes after half-time as Jackson turned provider.
A swift counterattack culminated in the Senegal striker outfoxing the retreating West Ham defence with a clever reverse pass, and Cole Palmer fired emphatically beyond Areola.
West Ham had earlier felt aggrieved when a strong penalty appeal – checked by VAR – was turned down after Crysencio Summerville went to the ground following a tussle with Wesley Fofana.
Mohammed Kudus, West Ham’s most likely source of a goal, had the ball in the net before half-time but was flagged for offside while Jarrod Bowen forced Robert Sanchez to save well at his near post after the break.
Chelsea’s victory puts them within two points of Premier League leaders Manchester City, while West Ham are left languishing in the bottom half, three points above the relegation zone.
It is still early days in Lopetegui’s tenure and it would be unfair to pass too sterner a judgment, given he has been tasked with introducing a more possession-based attacking style compared to Moyes.
Yet a third home defeat left the Spaniard’s card marked with an unwanted piece of history – never have West Ham started a season with three consecutive home league defeats in their 129-year history.
Admittedly, losses at the London Stadium to Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea are nothing to be ashamed of, but there is clearly a lot of work to be done on the training ground by Lopetegui and his staff.
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