The China Mail - Chelsea hit back to ruin West Ham boss Potter's revenge mission

Hammers boss Potter was hoping for a victory over the club that sacked him in 2023 after just seven months in charge.

Jarrod Bowen gave West Ham the lead in the first half on his return to action after fracturing his foot in late December.

But Chelsea recovered from a listless start to equalise through Pedro Neto after the interval before Aaron Wan-Bissaka's late own goal shattered Potter's revenge mission.

Chelsea moved two points above Manchester City and Newcastle in the race to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish.

It was the first time they had taken three points in a home league game after trailing at half-time since 2013.

Chelsea's second win in eight league matches was a welcome boost for Enzo Maresca after the Blues boss complained that the transfer window was distracting his players.

Joao Felix had been linked with AC Milan and Axel Disasi drew interest from Aston Villa, while Ben Chilwell emerged as a Crystal Palace target and Borussia Dortmund eyed Carney Chukwuemeka.

Maresca will have been relieved to see Chelsea finally ignore the speculation on the day the January window closed.

Potter insisted being axed by Chelsea after winning just 12 of his 31 games could be "the best thing that happens to me".

The 49-year-old returned to management last month at West Ham and almost two years on from his Chelsea dismissal, he made his first return to the Bridge.

But there was no happy ending for Potter as Maresca beat his former West Brom team-mate.

West Ham have won once in five games in all competitions since Potter took charge, but sit 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

- Chelsea's stroke of luck -

Potter was tasked with driving Maresca to training every day during their time together in the 1990s and once again he was played second fiddle to the Italian.

Maresca had dropped Robert Sanchez and brought in Filip Jorgensen after the Spanish goalkeeper's latest costly error in the defeat at Manchester City last weekend.

The 22-year-old settled any nerves with a good save from Bowen's low drive.

Mohammed Kudus was impactful for West Ham, the Ghana winger breaking clear for a powerful effort that forced a save from Jorgensen.

It was a warning Chelsea failed to heed as the Hammers snatched the lead in the 42nd minute.

Kudus hassled Levi Colwill into a sloppy back-pass and Bowen seized his chance with a composed finish from just inside the area that arrowed past Jorgensen into the far corner.

Cole Palmer's dipping free-kick drew an agile tip-over from West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.

Palmer tested Areola again from distance on the stroke of half-time, but there were jeers for lethargic Chelsea when the whistle went for the interval.

Unimpressed by his misfiring forwards, Maresca hauled off Jackson and Jadon Sancho after just 52 minutes.

The changes brought the desired effect as Neto came on to haul Chelsea level in the 64th minute.

Marc Cucurella hooked the ball back to Fernandez before it could go out of play and when the Argentine's shot was cleared off the line, Neto was on hand to lash low past Areola from close range.

A lengthy VAR check confirmed Cucurella was onside but West Ham were still unhappy with a potential foul by Colwill on Bowen in the build-up.

Chelsea rubbed salt into West Ham's wounds thanks to a stroke of luck 10 minutes later.

When Palmer weaved into the area and crossed from an acute angle, the ball took a hefty deflection off the sliding Wan-Bissaka and looped over Areola into the net.

N.Lo--ThChM