At Stamford Bridge, Kai Havertz came off the bench to give Chelsea a much-needed victory as the Blues overcame London rivals West Ham 2-1.
After a terrible first half in which they failed to manage a single shot on goal, Thomas Tuchel’s squad was jeered as they left the field. Antonio scored just after the hour after a goalmouth scramble.
With 15 minutes left, Ben Chilwell managed to score a goal past Lukasz Fabianski to tie the game, but Havertz was on hand to convert the full-cross back’s to give the Blues the lead late.
There was still time for Maxwel Cornet to see a fine strike disallowed for West Ham, but Chelsea ultimately held on to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss to Southampton after an enthralling match.
Chelsea needed 27 minutes to register a shot during a drab first-half performance as Christian Pulisic’s effort deflected away, before Mateo Kovacic drilled a 25-yard effort wide.
That was the sum of the Blues’ efforts before the break, however, and West Ham almost hit the front on the hour when Edouard Mendy palmed Jarrod Bowen’s volley wide.
Lampard Losing It As He Attacks Chelsea Players After Losing At Leicester
Mendy was helpless to prevent Chelsea from falling behind from the subsequent corner; with the Senegal international rooted, Antonio poked home from Declan Rice’s cut-back, sending the travelling fans wild.
But Chelsea levelled things up with a quarter of an hour remaining, as Chilwell brought down Thiago Silva’s high ball before stretching to finish beyond Fabianski, before Cornet nodded against the post as West Ham looked for a second.
Chilwell turned provider with 87 minutes on the clock, getting to the byline before firing a low cross into Havertz, who converted to put the Blues in the ascendency.
Chelsea had to survive one final scare, however, as Cornet saw a fierce right-footed finish ruled out after Bowen was adjudged to have fouled Mendy.
Follow us on Facebook