At Stamford Bridge, West Ham started proactively and surprised Chelsea by taking the lead in the 6th minute. From the right wing, Jarrod Bowen curled the ball towards the far post, untouched by any player, and it flew directly into Chelsea's net. This goal made Bowen the first player to score from outside the box against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League since Bryan Mbeumo in 12/2024.

In the 36th minute, the visitors doubled their lead, again originating from the right flank. Aaron Wan-Bissaka broke free near the byline and crossed into the box for Crysencio Summerville to strike a diagonal shot, beating goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. Summerville extended his impressive form, scoring in four consecutive matches across all competitions - a feat he last achieved in 11/2022, when he was still playing for Leeds.

Joao Pedro (in blue) celebrates a goal during Chelsea's 3-2 victory over West Ham in the 24th round of the Premier League at Stamford Bridge, London, England on 31/1/2026. *Reuters*

However, the dynamics of the game completely shifted after the break. At the start of the second half, new coach Liam Rosenior brought on Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro, replacing Jorrel Hato and Alejandro Garnacho, respectively, and these adjustments quickly paid off.

In the 57th minute, Wesley Fofana delivered a precise cross, allowing Pedro to head diagonally into the net, reducing the deficit. Just 13 minutes later, Cucurella shone with a diving header rebound into an open net, leveling the score. This marked the first time two Chelsea substitutes scored in a Premier League match since their encounter with West Ham in 9/2022, featuring Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz.

The drama escalated in the second minute of stoppage time. Pedro continued to make an impact, penetrating the penalty area and crossing for Enzo Fernandez to strike a one-touch diagonal shot, sealing a thrilling 3-2 victory for Chelsea.

Enzo Fernandez removes his shirt to celebrate the winning goal. *Reuters*

For the first time in Premier League history, Chelsea won a match after trailing by two or more goals at halftime, on their 37th occasion facing such a deficit. Coach Liam Rosenior also marked a notable personal milestone, becoming the fourth English manager to win all three of his first Premier League matches, following Bobby Gould (1992), Sam Allardyce (2001), and Craig Shakespeare (2017).

After the match, Cucurella emphasized Chelsea's fighting spirit during the second-half comeback. The Spanish defender stated that mentality and desire made the difference, affirming: "If Chelsea always play with such energy, the team can win many more matches."

Pedro, meanwhile, assessed Chelsea as possessing a young but confident squad. The Brazilian forward said: "We have a strong squad. The entire team is very young but always trusts each other; that is Chelsea's strength. We can still improve many things, but this match was crucial to show the fans how strong Chelsea are."

The comeback victory temporarily propelled Chelsea to fourth place in the Premier League with 40 points, pushing Man Utd (38 points) down to fifth. In the next round on 7/2, "The Blues" will visit Wolves - the bottom-placed club with 8 points.

Hong Duy