Chelsea stun West Ham in stoppage-time thriller

Still riding the momentum of a midweek Champions League triumph in Naples, Rosenior gambled on heavy rotation and paid the price early on. Seven changes disrupted Chelsea's rhythm and left them exposed against a West Ham side that looked sharper, more settled and ruthlessly efficient before the interval.

The warning signs arrived almost immediately. Jarrod Bowen escaped down the right and swung in a teasing cross that deceived Robert Sanchez and drifted untouched into the far corner. West Ham sensed vulnerability and doubled their lead before half-time, Bowen again central to the move as Aaron Wan-Bissaka surged forward and cut the ball back for Crysencio Summerville to hammer home his third goal in as many games.

Chelsea offered little in response. Cole Palmer's long-range free-kick was their only effort of note, and the half-time whistle was met with a chorus of boos, frustration spilling over as Sanchez exchanged angry words with supporters on his way down the tunnel.

Rosenior's response was immediate and decisive. With Pedro Neto already on following Jamie Gittens' injury, the Chelsea head coach introduced Joao Pedro, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella at the break, reshaping both the structure and mood of his team.

West Ham briefly threatened to finish the contest, forcing saves from Sanchez through Bowen and Mateus Fernandes, but the balance of the game soon tilted. Chelsea's intensity rose, the crowd rallied, and sustained pressure followed.

The comeback began just before the hour mark when Fofana delivered a deep cross and Joao Pedro rose to head past Alphonse Areola. Momentum swung fully Chelsea's way, and after Moisés Caicedo saw a fierce drive pushed away, the equaliser arrived amid a scramble. Malo Gusto's header ricocheted across goal and Cucurella, flinging himself forward, nodded in to make it 2-2.

West Ham came agonisingly close to restoring their lead when Jean-Clair Todibo struck the post late on, but the decisive moment belonged to Enzo Fernandez. In the second minute of stoppage time, Joao Pedro cut the ball back and Fernandez applied the finish from close range, sending Stamford Bridge into delirium.

The chaos was not over. Tempers flared deep into added time, culminating in Todibo being shown a straight red card after grabbing Joao Pedro by the neck during a mass confrontation that required a lengthy VAR check.

The final whistle confirmed a victory that lifts Chelsea into the Premier League's top four, at least temporarily, and underlined the impact of Rosenior's in-game management after a risky start. For West Ham, who remain five points below Nottingham Forest having played a game more, it was a bitter end to a night that had promised so much after a dominant first half.

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