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Chelsea v West Ham team news: Pedro sub, Palmer starts

31 January 2026 604 comments
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A much-changed Chelsea take on West Ham United in the penultimate Premier League game of the day.

Kick-off is at 17:30 GMT.

TEAM NEWS

As expected, Liam Rosenior has rung the changes for this evening’s encounter with the Hammers.

Only four players keep their places from midweek: Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.

Reece James, Marc Cucurella, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro are among the players dropping to the bench.

After a bright cameo in Naples, Cole Palmer makes his first start in a fortnight.

Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Jorrel Hato, Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap are also brought into the side.

The West Ham team news is a little bit easier, with just one alteration.

El Hadji Malick Diouf comes in for Ollie Scarles at left-back.

Adama Traore is among the substitutes after joining from Fulham.

LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Chalobah, Badiashile, Hato, Caicedo, Fernandez, Garnacho, Palmer, Gittens, Delap.

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Fofana, James, Acheampong, Cucurella, Andrey Santos, Neto, Guiu, Joao Pedro.

West Ham United XI: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Diouf, Bowen, Fernandes, Soucek, Summerville, Pablo, Castellanos.

Subs: Hermansen, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Scarles, Kante, Potts, Magassa, Adama, Wilson.

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604 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Cojones of Destiny
    • 7 Years
    2 days, 27 mins ago

    sold bowen on wc but avoided double chelsea def lol

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  2. JohnnyB10
      2 days, 27 mins ago

      I told ya guys, Bowen regardless of the fixture! He is not going anywhere till the end of the season 🙂

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    • Ha.
      • 10 Years
      2 days, 27 mins ago

      Take a Bowen

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    • Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      2 days, 27 mins ago

      Benched him twice jesus christ

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      1. Pep bites Kun
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 22 mins ago

        Don't mean to sound unkind, but why own a $talisman if you don't play him every gw for the upside?

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        1. JohnnyB10
            2 days, 16 mins ago

            This!!

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      2. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        2 days, 27 mins ago

        Raya, it is

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      3. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 27 mins ago

        Chelsea defence is worse than Pep roulette

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      4. Rwilliams90
        • 14 Years
        2 days, 27 mins ago

        People going all in on Chelsea and United like they aren't both bang average and just had a new manager bounce.

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        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 25 mins ago

          Average would be around 9th to 12th in the league. Where are they again?

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          1. x.jim.x
            • 11 Years
            2 days, 23 mins ago

            The league is absolute toilet at the minute tbf, Amorim couldn't string two results together and we were a win away from 4th for weeks

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      5. Albrightondknight
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 days, 27 mins ago

        Sanchez and Chalobah CS gone already. Palmer do something for 45 mins

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        1. keefy59
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 22 mins ago

          I didn't fancy the double up in defence
          So I went Chalobah & Roefs
          Hopefully can get some defcon & possibly attacking returns.

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      6. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        2 days, 26 mins ago

        What happened to Estevao? Not in squad

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        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 25 mins ago

          been given some time off for personal reasons

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          1. Ze_Austin
            • 7 Years
            2 days, 25 mins ago

            Thanks

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        2. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 25 mins ago

          personal reasons

          https://x.com/i/status/2017638557125345764

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          1. Ze_Austin
            • 7 Years
            2 days, 24 mins ago

            Cheers

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      7. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 25 mins ago

        Had planned to get Chalobah next GW, but maybe Munoz the better choice?

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        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 24 mins ago

          Palace are conceding more

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        2. F4L
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 23 mins ago

          i think palace would need to sign a good CB to fill in for guehi to go for munoz tbh

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      8. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 13 Years
        2 days, 24 mins ago

        Bowen is my biggest troll ever. Had him when no one had. Got rid two weeks ago and now he has become Ronaldo .

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        1. fedolefan
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 23 mins ago

          I’ve owned him since GW18.

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        2. Jet5605
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 21 mins ago

          He has now leapfrogged Eva and Thiago as an Eki replacement/funds freeer uppper.

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        3. Sun God Nika
          • 5 Years
          2 days, 17 mins ago

          Had him a good while

          decided to bench him last three gameweeks

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        4. TallestJohn
          • 8 Years
          2 days, 11 mins ago

          He's been my biggest troll this season. Got rid of him three separate times because West Ham look awful but then whoever I buy (Gyökeres, Woltemade, Igor Thiago) goes off the boil.

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      9. Jordan.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        2 days, 24 mins ago

        petrovic to sanchez *switches off tv*

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        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 23 mins ago

          *hugs*

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      10. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 24 mins ago

        should be 0-2. Enzo looks white and shattered. overplayed

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      11. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 15 Years
        2 days, 23 mins ago

        Chelsea looking trash

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      12. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 22 mins ago

        why on earth is Enzo playing. keeps losing the ball.

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      13. F4L
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 22 mins ago

        west ham bringing 442 back, you love it see it

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        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 22 mins ago

          *to see it

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      14. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 22 mins ago

        should be 0-3 now

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        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 20 mins ago

          This is how xG was born

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 20 mins ago

            god bless amerikah

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      15. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 20 mins ago

        ekitike hat trick tonight boys and girls.

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        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 19 mins ago

          you mis-spelt salah 😉

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 18 mins ago

            running down da wing

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      16. thegaffer82
        • 14 Years
        2 days, 19 mins ago

        Chelsea looking crap. Wonder if it might have anything to do with rotating most of your best players out of the team for a London derby match

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        1. Ignasi M
          • 8 Years
          2 days, 18 mins ago

          exactly. crazy line up. clearly looking at the league cup game

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          1. Von Lipwig
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            2 days, 15 mins ago

            You mean Reece notbstarting? what else? Estevao not available.... Maybe Neto could have started over Gittens... Disagree that these 2 rotations are crucial.

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            1. thegaffer82
              • 14 Years
              2 days, 10 mins ago

              Joao Pedro, James, Neto, Cucarella, Estevao….
              That’s quite a few…

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              1. Von Lipwig
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 7 Years
                2 days, 5 mins ago

                no, wrong, sorry

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                1. Von Lipwig
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 days, 2 mins ago

                  whole squad needs to be playing to be successful and the replacements are all good. Football is fickle, Chelsea can win this

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              2. x.jim.x
                • 11 Years
                2 days ago

                Pedro just back from injury
                James made of glass
                Neto and Cucurella rubbish
                Estevao personal reasons

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      17. Atimis
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 19 mins ago

        At least kept VVD over getting Chalo, may be getting Bowen for next GW.

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      18. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 18 mins ago

        Palmer isn't moving freely

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        1. thegaffer82
          • 14 Years
          2 days, 16 mins ago

          Without wishing injury upon anyone, it certainly wouldn’t be the worst thing if JP had to come on for him cos he felt something and came off as a precaution

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 15 mins ago

            yeah, JP should come in. hammers midfield bypassing palmer at the moment

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          2. Jet5605
            • 11 Years
            2 days, 15 mins ago

            Think I'd prefer Santos coming on and Enzo being pushed forward.

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      19. Amartey Partey
        • 6 Years
        2 days, 18 mins ago

        Serves Chelsea right for benching J Pedro.

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        1. Kaneyonero
          • 9 Years
          2 days, 17 mins ago

          And James

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 16 mins ago

            James can't play every game. he's super injury prone

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      20. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 16 mins ago

        Chelsea haven't had a sniff

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        1. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 15 mins ago

          Palmer FK pass to Areola counts

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 13 mins ago

            lolz

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      21. thegaffer82
        • 14 Years
        2 days, 15 mins ago

        Delap is a decent striker…
        For a championship team!

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      22. Gudjohnsen
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 15 mins ago

        Chelsea is still winning this game imo

        2-1 or 3-1

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        1. Ignasi M
          • 8 Years
          2 days, 13 mins ago

          yeah the bench should win this.

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      23. Ze_Austin
        • 7 Years
        2 days, 14 mins ago

        I think I just watched 30 seconds of Garnacho passing the ball to West Ham players and getting it back

        Delayed stream though

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        1. Stoic
          • 9 Years
          2 days, 10 mins ago

          Yep
          Left side v weak for che

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      24. WVA
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 14 mins ago

        Players that are different to my rivals, Verbruggen blank, Chalobah blank, Rice blank.

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      25. F4L
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 14 mins ago

        they need to stop this time wasting, quarter match team talks

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        1. F4L
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 12 mins ago

          *ok fair enough he was actually injured

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      26. Ignasi M
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 14 mins ago

        gittens injured going off

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      27. Jet5605
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 13 mins ago

        Think I read Palmer needs surgery but is refusing to get it done as it would mean missing the WC. Is Tuchel really going to pick someone whose fitness can't be trusted?

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        1. Ignasi M
          • 8 Years
          2 days, 12 mins ago

          yeah makes sense. he's been struggling all season.

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          1. Ignasi M
            • 8 Years
            2 days, 12 mins ago

            probably having intense physio and possibly injections

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        2. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 11 mins ago

          He obviously will pick him, not even a question

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          1. Jet5605
            • 11 Years
            2 days, 8 mins ago

            I do wonder if he's given Palmer assurances that he'll get picked. Tuchel setting himself up for stick if Palmer limps through the rest of the season and does nothing at the WC

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            1. x.jim.x
              • 11 Years
              2 days, 7 mins ago

              No one will give him stick except Chelsea fans and why would he care

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              1. Jet5605
                • 11 Years
                2 days, 6 mins ago

                I suspect many England fans will care if he picks a crocked out of form player over someone more deserving.

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                1. x.jim.x
                  • 11 Years
                  2 days, 5 mins ago

                  Who would be more 'deserving' of his spot? A half-fit Palmer is still a better option than most of the attackers on the plane, never mind the ones left at home.

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                  1. Jet5605
                    • 11 Years
                    1 day, 23 hours ago

                    Fundamentally disagree there. Fitness is huge in a major tournament. Even Kane was useless last time and he was just knackered rather than injured. Rogers, Rice, Bellingham, Foden, Eze, even KDH or Garner would be better than a crocked Cole. Picking injured players rarely pays off.

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                    1. x.jim.x
                      • 11 Years
                      1 day, 23 hours ago

                      Rogers, Rice, Bellingham and Foden will be going anyway (unless injured) - picking James Garner over Palmer (who is still fit enough to start matches btw!) is so mad, I've never been happier that the squad isn't decided by fan vote

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                      1. Jet5605
                        • 11 Years
                        1 day, 23 hours ago

                        I'm not English and so it makes no odds to me. Tuchel was watching Everton and talking to Moyes about Garner a week or so ago and so it's not that mad. Palmer being found out as we speak. He shouldn't be playing and needs surgery.

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        3. Ze_Austin
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 11 mins ago

          Might not even end up in the squad

          And that American weather will test their fitness

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        4. Tonyawesome69
          • 7 Years
          2 days, 8 mins ago

          Tuchel would happily drop a fit Bellingham for Palmer...

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