Chelsea substitutes Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell inspired a 2-1 comeback win over West Ham as VAR contentiously chalked off a late equaliser by Maxwel Cornet.
Thomas Tuchel’s side could not afford another defeat after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss at Southampton and things looked bleak for the home side when Michail Antonio poked in from close-range to put West Ham in front (62).
But Chelsea roared back into life after going behind, with Chilwell equalising off the bench (76) with a neat finish at the near post after beating West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to a loose ball.
West Ham substitute Cornet wasted a gilt-edged opportunity to go ahead but hit the post with a free header, before Havertz nicked a winner for Chelsea at the other end after Chilwell’s cross.
Cornet thought he had redeemed himself and grabbed a late equaliser in stoppage-time, only for VAR to rule it out for a very soft foul on Edouard Mendy by Jarrod Bowen.
Line-ups
Chelsea XI: Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Kovacic, Sterling, E. Mendy, Loftus-Cheek, Cucurella, Pulisic, Reece James, C. Gallagher, W. Fofana
Subs: Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kepa, Ziyech, T. Chalobah, Mount, Chilwell, Havertz, A. Broja
West Ham XI: Fabianski, Antonio, V. Coufal, Zouma, Emerson, Kehrer, Soucek, Bowen, Rice, Fornals, Paqueta
Subs: Randolph, Ogbonna, Areola, Lanzini, Cornet, S. Benrahma, Coventry, F. Downes