Chelsea rampage to Derby demolition over struggling West Ham

Enzo Maresca's Blues overcame an early setback and a pre-match injury blow to showcase their attacking flair, briefly climbing to the top of the table before other weekend fixtures. 

For West Ham, the heavy defeat marks a ninth occasion where they have started a top-flight campaign with consecutive losses, equalling an unwanted club record, and heaps further pressure on manager Graham Potter.

The action erupted early when Cole Palmer, Chelsea's talisman, withdrew from the starting lineup after feeling discomfort during the warm-up. Maresca later explained the decision as precautionary, noting Palmer had "felt something" but was not expected to face a long layoff.

West Ham capitalized immediately, with Lucas Paqueta unleashing a stunning left-footed rocket from outside the box in the sixth minute to give the Hammers a dream start.

However, Chelsea's response was swift and clinical. Marc Cucurella flicked on a Pedro Neto corner for Joao Pedro to nod home the equalizer in the 15th minute, his first goal against West Ham since joining the Blues.

The drama intensified when Niclas Fullkrug thought he had restored West Ham's lead with a powerful strike, only for VAR to disallow it due to an offside against Jean-Clair Todibo in the build-up. Chelsea seized the momentum, completing the turnaround in the 23rd minute as Neto ghosted unmarked into the box to volley in Joao Pedro's cross. The Portuguese winger's finish highlighted West Ham's static defending, which Potter later lamented as "a poor goal from our perspective."

Before halftime, young substitute Estevao, replacing Palmer and becoming the youngest player in Premier League history to assist a goal for Chelsea at 18 years and 120 days old, set up Enzo Fernandez for a simple tap-in to make it 3-1.

The second half saw Chelsea exploit West Ham's set-piece frailties further. Mads Hermansen, the Hammers' new goalkeeper, fumbled a corner in the 54th minute, allowing Moises Caicedo to pounce and slot home the fourth.

Trevoh Chalobah added the fifth just four minutes later, bundling in after chaotic attempts to clear another corner, prompting an exodus of home fans.

West Ham briefly rallied, with substitute Kyle Walker-Peters forcing a goal-line clearance from Caicedo, but Chelsea nearly grabbed a sixth when Reece James found Estevao, only for a deflection to lead to a routine save.

Maresca hailed his team's resilience without Palmer, stating: "The ones that say 'we are just a Cole team', for sure Cole is our best player no doubt. But for sure with Cole we are a much better team."

He also praised Neto, who has impressed since arriving, saying the winger "has been top since I've been here."

On the other side, Potter accepted responsibility for the collapse, admitting: "We've played two matches and we've conceded eight goals, there's no getting away from that, so that has to drastically improve."

He added: "We have to do a lot better than that. I think the players will be honest enough to say that."

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen echoed the frustration, revealing he was "fuming" and describing the goals as "really cheap," adding: "We gifted the goals away."

This result extends Potter's winless streak against Chelsea to eight managerial encounters (four draws, four losses), while his nine points from the first 10 home Premier League games in charge sets a new low for any West Ham boss, surpassing records held by Alan Curbishley and Avram Grant.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have now claimed 33 Premier League wins over the Hammers, second only to their 37 against Tottenham Hotspur.

As the transfer window nears its close, Potter has hinted at potential reinforcements, saying: "We need to do more than we are as a group and as always we will look to strengthen."

For Chelsea, this emphatic display signals their intent, but consistency will be key in a competitive season.