The Blues face the Hammers in the Premier League on Monday night.
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has given his honest opinion of West Ham United, their next opponents in the Premier League.
On Monday night, the Hammers – who sit 11th in the table and will be hoping to crack the top half – travel across London to Stamford Bridge to face the league’s fifth-placed side.
Speaking in his pre-match conference on Friday, Sarri was asked by Football London about how he expected a “very inconsistent” West Ham side to play on Monday night.
“I think they are a really very dangerous team,” replied the Italian. “Because, in the season, they were not able to have consistency. But they are a team with high quality. And so, in a single match, they can be very dangerous. It’s a difficult match.”
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have won 12 of 32 league games this term, losing 14, while their last five fixtures alternate between victories and defeats, with a 2-0 loss to Everton at the London Stadium last time out.
Although Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 12 home league meetings with West Ham, since a 2-3 loss in September 2002, the Hammers boast a three-match unbeaten run against the West Londoners, with two draws in their last two games and a win before then, according to 11v11.
Interestingly, West Ham striker Javier Hernandez has scored in each of his last four Premier League away games against Chelsea, according to Opta Stats on Sky Sports, so Pellegrini will be hoping he can strike once again and encapsulate the danger West Ham can bring which Sarri refers to.
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