Three things we learned as Enzo Fernández seals dramatic Chelsea comeback

Chelsea once again showed their growing resilience under Liam Rosenior as they came from behind to beat West Ham in a dramatic London derby, with Enzo Fernández delivering the decisive moment on the third anniversary of his £107m arrival.

Boos rang out at half-time at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea kept their nerve, transformed the contest after the break and produced another late surge that is quickly becoming a trademark of Rosenior’s side.

Rosenior labelled this fixture the most important game of Chelsea’s season — and for long periods of the first half, it looked like a statement that might backfire.

Chelsea were second best early on and went into the interval trailing, with defensive uncertainty leaving Robert Sánchez exposed. While the goalkeeper may have done better with the opening goal, he was repeatedly left without protection as West Ham attacked down Chelsea’s right side.

In the second half, Sánchez produced crucial saves to deny Mateus Fernandes and Jarrod Bowen, preventing the deficit from becoming insurmountable. Without those interventions, the comeback would never have materialised.

The turning point came at half-time. Rosenior introduced Marc Cucurella, João Pedro and Wesley Fofana — and the impact was immediate.

Fofana delivered the cross for João Pedro’s goal, Cucurella powered home the equaliser, and João Pedro was again central to the move that led to the winner. The momentum shifted decisively, with Chelsea pinning West Ham back and lifting the volume inside Stamford Bridge.

This followed a familiar pattern. Chelsea have now recovered from losing positions against Napoli and Arsenal in recent weeks, reinforcing a belief that games are never lost under this new regime.

There may be flashier talents at Chelsea — Cole Palmer, Reece James and Moisés Caicedo among them — but Fernández has become one of the most dependable figures in decisive moments.

The Argentine dictated Chelsea’s second-half rhythm, driving forward with the ball, switching play wide and demanding higher intensity from those around him. His late run into the box to finish João Pedro’s square pass for the 92nd-minute winner summed up his growing influence.

It made it three goals in three matches for Fernández — a timely reminder of his value on a symbolic night marking three years since his record-breaking move from Benfica.

West Ham’s task became even harder when Jean-Clair Todibo was sent off in stoppage time after placing his hands on João Pedro’s neck during a heated exchange.

That incident capped a chaotic finale, with Chelsea fully in control by that stage and Rosenior celebrating wildly on the touchline as his side climbed to third in the table.

Chelsea’s ability to finish games strongly is becoming a defining feature of their season. With confidence growing and competition for places intensifying, Rosenior now faces the challenge of sustaining these levels across a demanding run of fixtures.

However, it remains too early to draw firm conclusions. Maintaining defensive stability from the first whistle will be just as important as their late-game heroics.

Are Chelsea developing the mentality of a top-four side — or are these comebacks masking deeper issues?