Timo Werner ends goal drought to give Chelsea upper hand in top-four fight with West Ham

Second Premier League goal in 22 games for Werner opens up three-point advantage over Hammers

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  Chelsea's Timo Werner scores against West Ham United in London on Saturday, April 24. EPA

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  Chelsea's Timo Werner, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal against West Ham United at London Stadium on Saturday. AP

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  Chelsea's manager Thomas Tuchel congratulates his players after the win over West Ham United. AFP

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  Referee Chris Kavanagh checks on Chelsea's Ben Chilwell after he is fouled by West Ham United's Fabian Balbuena. PA

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  Fabian Balbuena of West Ham United is shown a red card by referee Chris Kavanagh. Getty

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  Chelsea's Timo Werner against West Ham's Vladimir Coufal. EPA

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  Chelsea's Ben Chilwell against West Ham United's Vladimir Coufal and Fabian Balbuena. Reuters

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  West Ham's Tomas Soucek, right, kicks the ball ahead of Chelsea's Christian Pulisic. AP

Chelsea edged ahead in the race for the top four with a 1-0 victory over fellow Champions League hopefuls West Ham.

A rare goal from Timo Werner, only his second in the league since November, helped the Blues move three points clear of fifth-placed Hammers.

Thomas Tuchel's side just about managed to get the job done ahead of a genuine European showdown against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

West Ham, who kicked off behind Chelsea on goal difference, had every reason to be affronted at the proposed breakaway league given that they were above four of the six clubs involved when it was announced.

They were feeling hard done by again when a late VAR decision saw defender Fabian Balbuena shown one of the most ludicrous red cards of the season.

Chelsea dominated early on and created three good chances in the opening 15 minutes, first when Mason Mount drifted into space down the right and laid the ball back to Werner, who scooped his first-time shot over.

Moments later Mount's quick feet in the area took him past Tomas Soucek and Issa Diop but his low shot was held by Lukasz Fabianski.

Then Werner pulled the ball back for Christian Pulisic, unmarked, but he hurried his effort and fired straight at Fabianski.

West Ham's best chance of the first half came in the 35th minute when Soucek pounced on a loose ball from a free-kick and prodded goalwards.

His effort was blocked on the line by Cesar Azpilicueta with VAR confirming, despite West Ham's pleas, that the Blues skipper had not handled the ball.

Instead it was Chelsea who went in ahead at the break after Werner laid the ball off to Christian Pulisic and then raced into the box to receive Ben Chilwell's low cross and convert from eight yards.

Werner should have doubled the lead shortly after half-time when Fabianski beat out a shot from Mount.

The ball fell to the German four yards out with the goal at his mercy but he somehow shanked his shot wide, to the disbelief of Tuchel.

West Ham almost made him pay when Mount blocked from Ryan Fredericks and Jesse Lingard's follow-up lob drifted narrowly wide.

Mount tested Fabianski again with a curler from the edge of the box and the Hammers' keeper also saved well from Werner.

But West Ham were still in the match until, with eight minutes left, Balbuena cleared the ball and caught Chilwell on the calf.

Not a single Chelsea player complained and play continued, but VAR intervened and referee Chris Kavanagh dutifully trotted to the monitor before sending the Paraguayan defender off.

It virtually ended the match as a contest although Blues substitute Tammy Abraham missed the chance to mark his late appearance with a goal when he headed over in stoppage time.