Chelsea brushed off the absence of Cole Palmer and the feeble challenge of West Ham to secure their first Premier League win of the season tonight.
They had to do it the hard way after losing Palmer to injury in the warm-up and falling behind but hit back impressively to heap more pressure on Hammers boss Graham Potter.
The hosts went ahead through Lucas Paqueta but goals from Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Trevoh Chalobah turned the game on its head.
Trouble brewing for West Ham and Potter
Potter was hoping for a morale-boosting performance against his old club following last weekend’s 3-0 thrashing at newly promoted Sunderland but got more of the same as his side capitulated in alarming fashion.
The home fans voted with their feet with many leaving long before the final whistle and those that did stay voiced their displeasure with boos.
A night that ended in acrimony had started well for the home side.
Boosted by the absence of Palmer, who “felt something” in the warm-up according to Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, the hosts came storming out of the blocks and went ahead inside six minutes.
Palmer’s replacement Estevao Willian lost the ball near the halfway line and, after it was nudged on to Paqueta, the Brazil international ran unopposed before firing a 25-yard shot past Robert Sanchez, whose attempts at a save were unconvincing.
Chelsea show why they are world champions
It would have been easy for Chelsea to panic in a hostile atmosphere but instead they fought back.
Pedro had already had a penalty appeal turned down after his run was blocked by Max Kilman but it was the former Brighton striker who dragged the Blues level after 15 minutes.
Neto whipped in a corner from the right, Marc Cucurella flicked it on at the near post and Pedro nodded past Mads Hermansen.
West Ham thought they had gone back in front immediately but Niclas Fullkrug’s goal was ruled out for offside against Jean-Clair Todibo in the build-up and Chelsea rode their luck to score again.
Chalobah won the ball off Paqueta with a rugged challenge which West Ham felt was a foul. The ball was picked up by Pedro and his cross to the far post was met on the volley by Neto, who had got in front of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
West Ham were reeling and Chelsea added a third before the break.
This time, Estevao made a positive contribution with a surging run into the box and his low cross was perfect for Fernandez to tap home from close range.
That goal was enough for some West Ham fans to make for the exits despite the fact there was still 12 minutes to go until half-time while the Chelsea contingent sarcastically serenaded their former boss with chants of “there’s only one Graham Potter”.
Sorry West Ham rudderless after half-time
The second half was mostly one-way traffic with West Ham looking vulnerable every time Chelsea came forward.
Fernandez should have added his second of the night but spooned a shot over after a late run into the box.
But Chelsea didn’t have long to wait for a fourth. Goalkeeper Hermansen flapped at a left-wing corner and Caicedo casually stuck out a boot to flick the ball into the net via the cross bar.
It was 5-1 after 58 minutes with Hermansen at fault once again.
The Dane, a summer signing from Leicester, looked shaky at the Stadium of Light last weekend and he looked all at sea on his home debut.
He once again came for a corner but got nowhere near it and, after the ball bounced round the six-yard box, Chalobah was on hand to hook the ball home.
West Ham substitute Freddie Potts almost marked his debut with a goal only for Sanchez to make a great save while, at the other end, Estevao was denied by a last-ditch tackle as he looked to make it six.
