Mauricio Pochettino explains why West Ham clash is ‘one of the most dangerous games’ as Chelsea aim to continue brilliant home record

Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea players will have to mentally prepare themselves for season’s last matches

Mauricio Pochettino warned his players ahead of the West Ham United clash when they welcome the Hammers during lunchtime today. The Argentine manager has warned the players not to remain overconfident, as Chelsea have left only a few matches before the culmination of the season.

Any defeat could hamper their European fate for next season. The Blues are eighth in the table, two points ahead of the Hammers, and if they could secure a win today, then they could claim the seventh spot.

But if the West Londoners want to qualify for Europe the following season, they will need to be fully prepared and give it their all, and Pochettino has already warned them that the final games are the most dangerous ones.

Pochettino spoke to the media ahead of the game and will hope that his side continues their brilliant home record after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 midweek, (h/t Football.London), Speaking to reporters ahead of the match, he said:

“These are the most dangerous games because now we have to keep the same mentality. West Ham are a strong team with great physicality, and they have had a fantastic season.’’

Pochettino is totally right here because we cannot slip up in the last matches of the season, and facing the Hammers won’t be easy given that they have been brilliant and have exceptional players such as Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus, and they will try to hurt us every chance they get.

If we emulate the performance we had against the Spurs, then we can certainly prevail. It all comes down to the players’ mentality and their ability to perform well under duress, as stated by Pochettino.

More Chelsea news

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• Fabrizio Romano confirms former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is open to a return to the Premier League
• Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has agreed to join Fluminense on a two-year deal

Chelsea has a lacklustre head-to-head record versus the Hammers, having won 54 and lost 44 of their games in all competitions. Hopefully, the team will aim to increase their lead in the match when they play David Moyes’ side today.