Tomas Soucek returns in midfield for West Ham, replacing Guido Rodriguez on the bench. Chelsea make three changes: Tosin Adarabioyo, Malo Gusto and Liam Delap start while Jamie Gittens, Josh Acheampong and captain Reece James are benched. West Ham lost 3-0 at newly promoted Sunderland and finished last season with just two wins in 11, leaving Graham Potter under heavy pressure and as the bookies' favourite to be the first Premier League manager sacked after 20 games. Enzo Marseca has won the Club World Cup and Conference League, yet Chelsea were unconvincing at home against Crystal Palace. West Ham recorded wins over Arsenal and Manchester United and challenged Liverpool. Chelsea won this fixture 3-0 last year and are on a three-match winning run against West Ham, to a cumulative score of 10.
Here we are, then, one game into the new season, with two managers already under pressure. West Ham are coming off a three-goal spanking at newly promoted Sunderland, which, coupled with a run of just two wins in 11 at the end of last season, has plonked Graham Potter on the Premier League hot-seat. He's the bookies' favourite to become the first boss in the division to be given the heave-ho, after a mere 20 games in the job. He's lost half of them.
Enzo Marseca's not in immediate danger of the sack, one wouldn't have thought. He's just won the Club World Cup and Conference League, for goodness sake. But he is working for trigger-happy Chelsea, and his team were thoroughly unconvincing at home against Crystal Palace last weekend. So expect noises off to be turned on should the cold start to their title challenge continue this evening.
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