In a 38 game season, there are always going to be encounters when, regardless of endeavour or perseverance, the ball does not bounce your way. For Chelsea in recent years, more often than not these games have come when playing West Ham away.
For whatever reason, whether it was in the overbearing and compact Boleyn Ground or the spacious London Stadium, the surroundings have stunted the Blues. On four of the last seven of these clashes, the Hammers have plundered points of their London rivals, taking the maximum in three.
Maurizio Sarri came into this latest fixture with a perfect record, seeking to become just the third Premier League manager to win his first six games in charge.