Chelsea Women aim to extend their impressive defensive record when they visit West Ham United in the Women's Super League on Sunday. The Blues have kept five successive clean sheets since their opening-day draw with Aston Villa, a run spanning all competitions. This form has been central to their position in the standings, sitting third with 10 points from four games. Their defensive solidity is reflected in the team's overall stats, having conceded just one goal in the WSL so far, while scoring nine.
Team news and selection
Viviane Asseyi’s absence from West Ham's midweek cup squad keeps her in the selection discussion for the hosts, though it does not confirm an injury. If available, the forward would give manager Rita Guarino an additional attacking option against a Chelsea side with a near-impenetrable defence. Chelsea's own squad depth will be tested as they manage a schedule across multiple competitions, with full details available on the club's squad page.
West Ham's predicted changes
West Ham are expected to recall several starters from their last league game after a midweek Subway Players Cup win over Southampton. Nadine Riesen, Estelle Cascarino, Katie Zelem, and Saki Kumagai are predicted to return to a side that plays in a 4-3-3 formation. Oona Siren, who scored twice against Southampton, is set to retain her place. "Siren scored twice against Southampton, while Leila Wandeler headed in Seraina Piubel’s cross," noted a match report.
Chelsea have won their last three WSL matches, including victories over Arsenal and Manchester United. Their recent form shows an average of 2.25 goals per game in the league, while they have limited opponents to an average of just 3.75 goal minutes per match. They defeated West Ham twice last season without conceding, winning 4-0 away and 5-0 at home. The match kicks off at 2pm BST on Sunday 4 October at Victoria Road and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK. It is the next fixture in a busy period for the Blues, with their upcoming fixtures including further Champions League and league commitments.
