Chelsea 2-1 West Ham
By Amar Azam

AMID high drama, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea took this victory, but the decision to disallow a late West Ham United equaliser once again stirred up the debate about the use of the video assistant referee.  

West Ham manager David Moyes was furious after his side’s celebrations were cut short when referee Andrew Madley ruled out substitute Maxwel Cornet’s 90th minute strike after a foul in the build-up.  

Madley consulted the pitch-side monitor before chalking off the goal as West Ham midfielder Jarrod Bowen was judged to have fouled goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, prompting Moyes to call the decision “scandalous.”  

For Chelsea, this was yet another uneven performance, one of a number we’ve seen so far this season from Tuchel’s side. The German acknowledged that performances will need to improve.  

In a poor first half from the home side, Tuchel’s players lacked dynamism and creativity as they struggled against a tough West Ham team in this London derby.  

It didn’t get much better after the interval, but Chelsea did enough to clinch the win.  

After the club’s high-profile spending in the most expensive transfer window ever by a British club, Tuchel knows that there will be no excuses.  

“We have now the chance to demand full commitment, there is no way out anymore,” said Tuchel.

“We are the group for Chelsea that wants to have the best possible results and outcomes. We have to take now our responsibility from here.

“I am happy with everybody who is in the group, there is a reason for everyone to be in the group.”  

The side put out by the Chelsea manager featured debutant Wesley Fofana, the recent big-money purchase from Leicester City, as well as other transfer window signings Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella.  

West Ham’s Michail Antonio had put his side ahead on 62 minutes after he bundled the ball in from close range, but an equalising goal from substitute Ben Chilwell set-up a tense end to the match.  

On 88 minutes, Kai Havertz gave Chelsea a barely deserved lead after he converted clinically from a cross from Chilwell.  

West Ham’s visiting supporters erupted when they thought their team had equalised two minutes later, but the goal was ruled out. It leaves them on just one league win this season.

Moyes added: “The boys are on it and realising there are signs that a lot of things have been better.

“But sometimes in football, you need things to go for you, and maybe we’ve had some things go for us in some of the decisions, but I think at the moment it is going against and certainly the one today was really poor.”