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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine TG4 Entertainment Magazine The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Chelsea's Malo Gusto, Estevao, and Pedro Neto celebrate their third goal of the game.Alamy Stock Photo Premier League Chelsea thump West Ham as Brazilian teenager Estevao stars after late call-up The Blues top the table for the first time since December 2021. 10.13pm, 22 Aug 2025 Share options CHELSEA SHRUGGED OFF the absence of Cole Palmer to get their season up and running in style while deepening the gloom at West Ham after only two matches after a 5-1 victory at London Stadium. Goals from Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Trevor Chalobah – after Lucas Paqueta had given the hosts a shock lead – secured a thumping win for the Blues and lifted them to the top of the table for the first time since December 2021. It may only be for a few hours – and obviously the 18 other teams have only played one match – but it still felt significant, being the first time Chelsea have been top of the pile since Todd Boehly took over and embarked on his £1billion-plus spending spree. Meanwhile, as the new world club champions shook off the dust following their opening-day goalless draw with Crystal Palace, West Ham slipped to the bottom of the table after a woeful display, the sort that gets managers sacked. Graham Potter, whose side lost 3-0 at Sunderland last weekend, now has a worse record from his 20 matches in charge than Julen Lopetegui, the man he replaced in January. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Yet Potter may have felt his luck was about to change against his old club when Palmer was injured in the warm-up, with 18-year-old Brazilian Estevao Willian replacing him. Advertisement Then, from nowhere, Paqueta gave West Ham a sixth-minute lead, launching a spectacular swerving, dipping shot over Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. But it was a case of no Palmer, no problem against a Hammers side this inept and nine minutes later Chelsea were level. The first of five soft goals – all from crosses – came with Marc Cucurella flicking on Neto’s corner for Pedro to nod in his first Premier League goal for his new side. West Ham thought they were back in front moments later when Niclas Fullkrug buried a loose ball but a VAR check ruled it out for offside. Instead, in the 23rd minute, Chelsea took the lead after Paqueta was bullied off the ball by Chalobah, Pedro chipped the ball across and Neto, completely unmarked, converted with a volley at the far post. Chelsea’s third of a frantic first half arrived courtesy of a dazzling first assist from Estevao, who raced unchallenged into the area and squared for Fernandez to tuck into an empty net. They had a fourth nine minutes into the second half after new Hammers goalkeeper Mads Hermansen flapped at another corner and Caicedo drilled the ball home. Hermansen was culpable again as the fifth flew past him, from another corner, via the head of Chalobah, and there were even fans running onto the pitch towards the end of a humiliating night for West Ham. 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