Why is West Ham vs Chelsea on Friday? Kick-off time, team news, live commentary and where to watch London derby

West Ham’s first home game of the season sees them take on London rivals Chelsea this Friday, live on talkSPORT.

The Hammers and Blues didn’t get their new top-flight campaigns off to the best of starts.

Graham Potter‘s men travelled north to face Sunderland and were battered 3-0 as the Black Cats relished in their first game back in the Premier League for eight years.

Meanwhile, despite a lot of hype, Chelsea turned in a limp home performance in a goalless draw with Crystal Palace.

The Eagles could and maybe should have won but saw a goal controversially ruled out.

So, this is a chance for both to get that first win on the board under the lights on Friday night.

Why is West Ham vs Chelsea on Friday night?

This match was initially scheduled for Saturday, August 23 with a 3pm kick-off.

During their initial TV picks for August, Sky Sports wanted it as one of their live matches this season.

As a result, after consultation with the Metropolitan Police, the fixture was switched to Friday evening.

At the time of the fixture changed, a report from the Daily Mail emerged stating that the Met were confident they could deal with the fixture change despite fears over fan violence.

• Chelsea had 19 shots without scoring on MD1 in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace. The Blues haven’t failed to score in their opening two league matches of a campaign since 1995-96, when they opened with two goalless draws.
• Chelsea have gone three Premier League games without shipping a goal for the first time since February 2023 – they last enjoyed a longer run in March 2021, when they went four without conceding.
• West Ham have won just two of their nine home Premier League matches under Graham Potter (D3 L4), picking up nine points. No Hammers manager has ever won fewer than 10 points in their first 10 home games in the competition, with 10 points the lowest currently by both Alan Curbishley and Avram Grant.

West Ham vs Chelsea: Date and how to follow

This Premier League game will take place on Friday, August 22 and kick-off at the London Stadium is scheduled for 8pm.

talkSPORT will have live and exclusive coverage from east London, with Hugh Woozencroft serving as your host.

Commentary will then come from Jim Proudfoot and former Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy.

To tune in to talkSPORT through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

talkSPORT.com will also be right across the action.

The match will also be on Sky Sports Main Event and Premier League.

Sky Go customers will be able to stream through their laptops and mobile devices.

Alternatively, a NOW TV membership can be purchased. More information here.

• No side completed more passes on MD1 this season than Chelsea (510, level with Man City). Since Enzo Maresca took charge, only Liverpool (13) and Man City (23) have completed 500 passes in more Premier League games than the Blues (12).
• Mads Hermansen shipped three goals on his West Ham debut last weekend away at Sunderland, and has kept just one clean sheet in 28 Premier League appearances (3.6%), the joint-second lowest rate of any goalkeeper to play 20+ games in Premier League history, ahead of only Wes Foderingham (3.3%).
• Jarrod Bowen has scored three goals in his last four Premier League London derbies, scoring in both of his last two against Arsenal and Spurs. Only four West Ham players have scored in three derby appearances in a row in the competition, most recently Michail Antonio in 2019.
• Despite only coming on in the 54th minute, Estêvão made more dribbles than any other player in Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace on MD1 (6). It was the most by a Chelsea player on their Premier League debut for the club since Raheem Sterling in August 2022 versus Everton (also 6).

West Ham vs Chelsea: Team news

The Hammers already have a few injury concerns in the attacking area of the pitch.

Crysencio Summerville is out with a thigh problem, while Luis Guilherme has a shoulder injury.

Potter might also look to change formation or personnel after a poor display.

Callum Wilson came off the bench for his debut and will be pushing to start.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are without several players.

Levi Colwill will be out for the majority of the campaign after suffering an ACL injury.

Defensively, this leaves Chelsea short with Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo also struggling.

Romeo Lavia is still on the sidelines.

• West Ham have won four of their last eight home Premier League games against Chelsea (D2 L2), but did lose 3-0 at the London Stadium last season, last suffering consecutive home league defeats to the Blues in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 campaigns.
• Chelsea have won five of their last seven Premier League meetings with West Ham United (D1 L1), and overall have 32 wins in the competition against the Hammers, only beating Spurs more often (37).
• West Ham United lost 3-0 to Sunderland on MD1 this season, and have started a Premier League season with consecutive defeats on eight previous occasions, most recently in 2022-23. Only Southampton (9) have lost both of their first two matches in a Premier League campaign more often than the Hammers.

West Ham vs Chelsea: What has been said?

West Ham vice-chair Karen Brady spoke to talkSPORT about Potter’s future after the Sunderland defeat.

And she defended the former Brighton and Chelsea manager, saying: “I wish yesterday could start all over again. It’s so tough to take. It’s never easy for the supporters, the players, or the manager to lose 3-0, particularly in the opening game of the season.

“I spent a lot of time with the manager and the squad in America on the preseason tour. The spirit amongst them is fantastic. I know that they’ll be more disappointed, that they’ll be the most disappointed people this morning.

“I know we’ll see a reaction and I know they want to turn it around and they’ll want to turn it around quickly.

“Graham is a forward thinking manager. He’s sort of calm under pressure. He’s very detailed in his approach. He’s a great man, manager of players.

“He builds a special relationship with players and they understand where he’s coming from.

“He has a modern mindset and all of those things mean it does take some time to put a team together, to get the team playing the way that you want.

“West Ham is not a club that panics about its managers. We tend to stick with them, tend to support people, stick with them and see it through.

“I really hope he does well. He’s a pleasure to work with. He’s incredibly professional. I know the players respect him.

“I know his relationship with the players is good. I know he’ll be sitting down with them today to have a long, hard think about what went wrong yesterday, expecting a reaction and expecting to put it right.”