Chelsea's three-match winning run came to an end at the London Stadium as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of London rivals West Ham United.
Cheikhou Kouyate opened the scoring early on through a powerful header and Edimilson Fernandes added to the hosts' lead in the opening stages of the second half.
The Blues had plenty of chances across the 90 minutes, particularly in an explosive first half, but in the end they only had a late Gary Cahill strike to show for their efforts as they were sent packing from the EFL Cup.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the EFL Cup fourth-round tie between West Ham United and Chelsea at the London Stadium. Both sides have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes of late, with the Hammers winning two on the bounce over the past 11 days to temporarily draw themselves away from trouble, while tonight's visitors have scored nine without reply on their way to nine points from nine.
Attention this evening is very much on progression in the EFL Cup, though, with the added bonus of this being a feisty London derby encounter. While the world's watching eyes are on a certain clash taking place at Old Trafford elsewhere in this competition, this showdown at the London Stadium has all the ingredients required to provide us with another classic match in what is turning out to be a thrilling 2016-17 campaign.
TEAM NEWS!
WEST HAM UNITED XI: Randolph, Kouyate, Reid, Ogbonna, Fernandes, Obiang, Noble, Cresswell, Lanzini, Payet, Antonio
CHELSEA XI: Begovic, Luiz, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta, Kante, Chalobah, Aina, Willian, Batshuayi, Oscar
West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has stuck to his pre-match word by naming a strong starting lineup this evening, making just the two changes from the 1-0 win over Sunderland here four days ago. Both changes were anticipated, too, with the quality of the team hardly weakening with the introduction of cup goalkeeper Darren Randolph between the sticks and Aaron Cresswell at full-back.
Randolph has been nursing a knee injury but has clearly managed to overcome that in time to take over from Adrian, while Cresswell returns after missing that slender victory over the Black Cats due to suspension. The Englishman was arguably the star performer on his first appearance of the season against Crystal Palace 11 days ago, setting up the key breakthrough goal for his side before being shown two yellow cards in about the space of a minute.
Simone Zaza joins Adrian in dropping to the bench; the Juventus loanee struggling to really make too much of an impact in the early weeks of the season when his side has needed him most. The big news for West Ham when looking at the wider picture is a return to the matchday squad for Andre Ayew, who has been absent since picking up a thigh injury on the opening day of the campaign against, ironically enough, Chelsea. Five others remain out, though, including leading striker Andy Carroll.
That does of course mean that United will start without a recognised striker this evening, with the ever-versatile Antonio, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini likely to rotate in the False 9 role. In terms of the visitors, Antonio Conte has made seven changes to his side from the 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United last time out. Among those to come in, as expected, is skipper John Terry, who has not featured since the middle of September due to an ankle injury.
Interestingly, Conte appears to have stuck with this 4-3-4 formation, so Terry will start alongside Gary Cahill and David Luiz, though which position they each start in exactly - right, left, centre- is anyone's guess at this point. Asmir Begovic is the other player who seemed certain to come in from the off tonight, taking the place of Thibaut Courtois who is given the night off, while Nathaniel Chalobah and Ola Aina also start.
Oscar and Michy Batshuayi are the other two players to be brought in from the heavy win over Man United three days ago, both of whom will start up top alongside Willian in a three-pronged attack, with fluid movement between the three players key to this formation. Kurt Zouma and Branislav Ivanovic both still remain out through injury, with the former closing in on some action following a long-term absent, while Cesc Fabregas is also not included.
BENCH WATCH!
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Adrian, Nordtveit, Feghouli, Zaza, Collins, Ayew, Fletcher
CHELSEA SUBS: Eduardo, Alonso, Matic, Hazard, Pedro, Costa, Solanke
Plenty of changes made by Conte this evening, then, but he has at least kept his big hitters on the bench should they be required. Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and Pedro are all included, as are Marcos Alonso and Nemanja Matic who both drop to the bench from the 4-0 win over United. In terms of the hosts, they also have attacking power in the form of Zaza and Ayew, while Ashley Fletcher may be a tad disappointed to have missed out on the starting lineup tonight.
John Terry is included in Chelsea's starting lineup for the first time since September 11 this evening - one of seven changes from the win over Man United on Sunday. West Ham United make just the two alterations, meanwhile, bringing in Darren Randolph in goal and Aaron Cresswell at full-back from their slender triumph over Sunderland here four days ago.
A potential classic cup tie on our hands in East London this evening, then, as these two rivals locks horns for a place in the quarter-final of the EFL Cup. The Hammers head into the tie in a far better mood than they were in when the draw was initially made last month, having finally found their rhythm and climbed up to 15th place in the Premier League thanks to two wins on the bounce.
Things were looking particularly bleak for the Hammers just 11 days ago, but they have since defeated Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and claimed a big win over bottom-placed Sunderland, albeit by a fortuitous late goal. Prior to that it was just the one win in seven in the top flight, leaving them in serious trouble and with mounting issues building up for Bilic to contend with. Not all of those issues came on the pitch, either, as the furore surrounding the London Stadium move rumbled on.
The problems off the field at the London Stadium have been much publicised since the start of the season but, in the same way that winning breeds confidence on the field, it also makes supporters very happy off it. That victory over Sunderland ensured that fans went home happy, though with this being a London derby - and Chelsea packing out the 5,000 seats in the away end - club chiefs have been fearing the worst. Because of that extra security measures have been put in place, including stringent checks, alcohol being banned outside the ground and a "robust policing plan" implemented.
Twenty-three banning orders have been dished out to West Ham supporters since the two-mile switch to this new venue, but club chiefs are now hopeful that things will slowly start to improve once this becomes something closer to a home. In terms of on the field - that is essentially all we care about tonight, after all - United follow up this cup contest with a trip to Everton next weekend and then a home match with Stoke City in the Premier League - two games Bilic will need to get his players fired up for.
Bilic's men saw off Accrington Stanley in the previous round to make it to this stage, with that win coming via a late Dimitri Payet three kick - six minutes into added time! United's Croatian boss talked this week about the importance of a cup run, having already exited Europe at the preliminary stag and with just the Premier League left to focus on now until the New Year when the FA Cup kicks off.
DID YOU KNOW? West Ham United have lost each of their last three League Cup games when up against fellow Premier League opposition, with the team that beat them going on to win the top flight in each of those campaigns - Manchester City, Chelsea and Leicester City. A good omen for the Blues, perhaps, although the Hammers will be confident of picking up victory this evening to end that run in order to take a giant step closer to a day out at Wembley.
Chelsea head into the game on the back of a real positive run of form, which Conte will no doubt be desperate to prolong tonight with momentum key in his side's hopes of tasting success this term on three fronts. There is no European football to contend with this term; something which helps the Italian drill this new formation into his players, but owner Roman Abramovich will not be too happy if the Blues go a second season without competing in the Champions League - that is the minimum target in Conte's maiden campaign.
The Blues find themselves fourth in the Premier League table with a quarter of the season played, just a point off the trio of leading sides - Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City. It has been a strange start to life under Antonio Conte in many ways, as Chelsea followed up three-successive wins with a three-game winless run, before hitting top gear again this month to pick up nine points from nine in the league.
During that three-game run without a win, Chelsea lost successive games to title rivals in Liverpool and Arsenal - shipping five goals in the process to give Conte a serious headache. The Italian used half time in that London derby with the Gunners to revert to his more-favoured 3-4-3 formation, which worked well enough over the next 45 minutes and has worked perfectly in the three games since. In matches against Hull City, Leicester City and Manchester United, Chelsea have scored nine and conceded none.
The 3-4-3 system really does get the best out of the Blues' players - not just at the back, where Luiz is given more freedom to play to his strengths by bringing the ball out, but also through midfield where Kante and Matic are thriving in slightly more advanced positions, while Costa, Hazard and Pedro are proving to be as fluid as anything a highly-praised Liverpool attack can offer. With seven changes tonight, including the return of Terry at the back, will it still have the desired effect?
Chelsea follow up this match with games against Southampton (a) and Everton (h) - two difficult matches that will ask serious questions of their new setup; certainly more than was asked by Leicester and Man United, who both struggled early on against the Blues. Focus right now is on West Ham, though, having already seen off Bristol Rovers and champions Leicester in the early rounds of the competition - the latter a thrilling 4-2 victory after finding themselves two goals down.
The West London outfit have actually made it to the last eight of this competition in four of the last five seasons, with the only blip coming in defeat to Stoke City early on last term. Only Liverpool (8) had scored more goals than Chelsea (7) heading into the fourth round - the Reds adding two more to their tally on Tuesday night when seeing off fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, joining Arsenal, Hull City, Leeds United and Newcastle United in the hat for the next round.
The draw for the quarter-finals will be made later tonight, incidentally, when we will know the full selection of sides in the proverbial hat. As well as those aforementioned teams, which includes two Championship outfits, three of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, West Ham, Southampton and Sunderland will make it through. This competition may not be respected as much as it should be, but once we reach the latter stages then supporters start to grow more and more excited about the prospect of silverware.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Both previous League Cup meetings between these two sides has ended 1-0 to the home team - Chelsea prevailing the last time they met and the Hammers coming out on top in the only other meeting in October 1994. The Blues lost their last visit to Upton Park 2-1 12 months ago, but they did beat their city rivals by the same scoreline on the opening weekend of this campaign.
That was a match that had plenty of excitement, but West Ham were left furious when Costa scored a late winner after avoiding a red card for his lunge on Adrian. It does not take much to spark a coming together, and with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs in this first ever clash between these two teams at the London Stadium - and under the floodlights, too - we have all the ingredients for a real classic.
With a little over five minutes to go until kickoff in East London, let us turn attention to some pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Slaven Bilic: "We have seven points from three games in the league, so the confidence is back now. We have to continue in this way. I can only repeat what I've said before, is that all we can do is try to play good football and win games, and that's what we'll try. They are are one of the candidates to win the league and they have quality in all parts of the pitch. They're big opponents."
Antonio Conte: "I think in this moment it's not important to talk again about a game that for us is the past. Now it's important to be focused against West Ham. I'm pleased with the performance against United but now it's important to not look to the past. I have a history and you can see my history, my past and my behaviours on the bench. I'm a passionate man, I show this in the past and now. I want to stay very close to my players, also to play with them, to help them."
Conte talking there about the scenes towards the end of his side's meeting with Man United a few days ago, in which he sparked the home fans into frenzy by encouraging them to get out of their seats. Mourinho was not happy about it, to say the least, but the Italian does not need to explain himself. Bilic, on the other hand, is delighted to have seen United finally pick up some momentum, having taken seven points from their last three games.
Both sets of players are now out on the field of play at the London Stadium, greeted by a superb applause. Around 5,000 visiting fans in attendance today for this fourth-round tie in the EFL Cup - the first meeting between these two rivals at this impressive, albeit a oft-criticised, venue. Plenty of questions about the atmosphere that can be generated here, but it sounds fantastic at the moment, with kickoff just moments away.
KICKOFF! Chelsea go long towards Batshuayi in the opening seconds, but a Hammers player is there to intercept. A big night for the summer signing, as he looks to prove that he is good enough to start on a more regular basis.
Good persistence shown by Aina, who earns his side a corner inside the opening three minutes at the London Stadium. Willian swung the ball in towards the front post, where Terry could only hook the ball over the bar - half a chance!
West Ham get themselves up the other end of the pitch and earn a free kick of their own in a dangerous crossing area. The ball was decent enough but Chelsea dealt with it well, but the opening stages of this match suggest that it will be end-to-end stuff.
SAVE! He doesn't score too often, but Kante has come close to bagging himself a goal in successive games. Just three days on from that fine individual goal against Man United, the Frenchman again weaved his way through but was denied by Randolph at the end of the move.
Superb delivery from Payet from a free kick, which Chelsea just about deal with at the expense of a corner. Luiz got to it just ahead of Antonio, but the Hammers now looking to sustain some pressure following that Kante chance.
GOAL! WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 CHELSEA (CHEIKHOU KOUYATE)
The man who scored the first-ever goal at this ground opens the scoring in this fourth-round tie, as a Noble cross from the left - after a corner was only half cleared - was superbly headed home by Kouyate. The midfielder was near the edge of his own box but still got the pace and power on the ball to beat Begovic.
CLOSE! West Ham within inches of a second! Payet initially appeared to have his legs taken from him by Kante inside the box but, when Craig Pawson waved play on, Antonio was quickly on the loose ball and brushing the side-netting with his shot.
United fans certainly up for this one, continually urging their team on with Chelsea now on the ropes. The visitors having to do plenty of defending now, with this three-at-the-back system being badly exposed at times by the Hammers.
Constant West Ham pressure still, with another corner being won which this time was not the best from Payet. Chelsea just needing to see out this wave of pressure and grow back into the game, having already created one opening through Kante.
Chelsea with far better control of the ball over the past couple of minutes, strangling their opponents of possession and therefore quietening the home supporters. Kouyate goal the difference here with 20 minutes of the game played.
SAVE! Good play from Chelsea, as they patiently pass the ball around before Willian lays it off for Chalobah to strike. It was a well-struck drive, too, which was dipping under the bar if not for a fingertip stop from Randolph.
Willian drives his side forward on his return to the starting lineup, with Oscar taking over inside the box and sending a dangerous ball across the face of goal. No blue shirt there to tap it home, and the Hammers get away with another scare.
The opening 26 minutes of this game have completely flown by - it really is end-to-end! Antonio now drives down the left and sends in a decent delivery, which is well dealt with by the Blues' backline. All of a sudden momentum is swinging back in the hosts' favour.
SHOT! Antonio picks up the ball and runs straight for Luiz, before pulling the trigger from 25 yards out with a shot that ended right down the throat of Begovic. Still just the one goal in it, but the shot count now beginning to slowly increase.
Superb interplay from Chelsea, which allows Kante to burst into the box down the left. The angle was against him but he really should have been shooting, rather than cutting it back to nobody in particular. Big chance, that!
CHANCE! Chances galore in this explosive first half in East London. Antonio had the beating of Luiz towards the left-hand flank, spinning in behind the Brazilian and picking out Payet who could only flick the ball wide of the post from 10 yards out.
Willian has impressed in the opening 34 minutes or so of this contest, really driving his team forward from midfield with his powerful bursts. They have not been rewarded with a goal, but Chelsea certainly not out of this fairly balanced game.
SHOT! That second goal does appear to be coming, but which side bags it is anyone's guess. Aina had a powerful shot well blocked, before the ball was worked to Batshuayi who saw his own attempt easily kept out by Randolph.
A strange spell in the game now, as both sides continue to give the ball away. That is largely thanks to the high pressing, with Kante in particular not willing to give the hosts a moment on the ball anywhere near midfield.
SAVE! A typical Payet attempt as, with every player inside the box - including Begovic - expecting the free kick to be crossed, the Frenchman instead goes for goal and forces the Chelsea keeper to tip the ball over the bar. From that set piece, Fernandes drives a shot on goal which Begovic kept out more routinely.
Chelsea have played some nice football at times in this first half, but West Ham are really up for this - pulling off skills and tricks galore. Lanzini, Payet and Antonio are rotating well in that frontline and asking all sorts of questions the Blues' backline.
SAVE! What a strike this is! Obiang absolutely belted the ball on the half-volley from 35 yards out, with the ball destined for the bottom corner if not for a fine Begovic stop down to his right-hand side. Incredible half of football.
CHANCE! The half is so nearly up, but somehow Chelsea will go into the break a goal down. This was a glorious chance for Batshuayi in a half full of chances, though he fired over the bar from close range when picked out by Chalobah in a central position.
CLOSE! From nowhere, and with just seconds of the half to go, Oscar pokes the ball towards goal. It took a touch on its way through and the spin appeared to help it onto the outside of the post.
HALF TIME: WEST HAM UNITED 1-0 CHELSEA
Craig Pawson blows for half time at the London Stadium, bringing to a close what has been a hugely entertaining opening 45 minutes. West Ham United lead through a Cheikhou Kouyate goal, and could have extended their lead on a few occasions, but Chelsea have themselves had chances to find the net.
An end-to-end opening to the game signalled what was to come, with the first shot of the explosive first half arriving seven minutes in when N'Golo Kante powered his way into the box only to be denied by Darren Randolph. It was the Hammers who took the lead soon after, though, as a corner was not fully dealt with by the visitors which allowed Mark Noble to cross for Cheikhou Kouyate, who somehow generated enough pace and power on the ball to beat Asmir Begovic from his header from just inside the box.
West Ham pushed on from that early breakthrough goal and so nearly had a second with 14 minutes on the clock, but Michail Antonio sent his shot wide after Dimitri Payet had a penalty appeal rejected when seemingly brought down by Kante. Both sides were creating good openings at either end - Nathaniel Chalobah seeing his shot tipped over the bar by Randolph and Antonio being denied in a slightly more straightforward fashion by Begovic.
Slaven Bilic promised to send out a strong starting lineup this evening, which he more than stuck to by making minimal alterations from last time out, though one of those changes did see the only recognised forward drop out of the team. As a result, Antonio, Payet and Manuel Lanzini were each drifting around in the final third, with the former of that trio causing all sorts of problems as he turned David Luiz and sent in a cross which Payet somehow poked wide.
There was a rare start for Michy Batshuayi at the other end of the field, but he was having less joy as he fired in his only shot of the first half right down the throat of Randolph, before West Ham stepped things up and again tested Begovic through Payet and Edimilson Fernandes strikes. The frenetic first half showed no signs of slowing there, either, with Pedro Obiang blasting a half-volley on target from 30 yards out which Begovic did very well to get across and keep out, while Batshuayi and Oscar both came close themselves in the final throes of the half.
So there we have it - a fantastic advert for this competition, with West Ham United the team holding the slender 1-0 lead over Chelsea. Plenty of options for Antonio Conte at the break should he wish to change things around slightly, including Costa, Hazard and Pedro.
WEST HAM UNITED SUBS: Adrian, Nordtveit, Feghouli, Zaza, Collins, Ayew, Fletcher
CHELSEA SUBS: Eduardo, Alonso, Matic, Hazard, Pedro, Costa, Solanke
RESTART! We are back up and running at the London Stadium in this EFL Cup fourth-round tie. Let us hope for an equally entertaining second half to this match, with extra time and pens to come if required.
SAVE! Chelsea started the second half the brighter of the two, sending in a few crosses which the Hammers dealt with well. From that the hosts broke up the other end, with Antonio getting the beating of his man and picking out Payet, who was unable to find a way past Begovic.
GOAL! WEST HAM UNITED 2-0 CHELSEA (EDIMILSON FERNANDES)
West Ham have a second goal through new boy Fernandes, who cut in from the left and placed the ball just out of Begovic's reach from the edge of the box. Surely time for Conte to ring the changes now, with Begovic forced to deny Payet just moments beforehand.
Antonio having so much joy, teasing Luiz before winning his side a corner. The Brazilian actually did quite well to stand his ground there but he, Terry and Cahill have been pulled around the pitch by the Hammers' fluid front three all evening.
It has got to the point now where United are finding it too easy. Antonio has too many options and in the end doesn't really take any of them, but Noble did drive the ball inches wide. Before that, Chelsea appealed for a pen when the ball hit Obiang's arm.
CHELSEA SUB! Here comes that first Conte change - Diego Costa replacing the disappointing Batshuayi and being greeted by plenty of boos. Aina blasts wide moments after that first alteration of the match.
It has been a breathless hour of football at the London Stadium - the best game here so far - but United will now be hoping that the tempo drops a little. Luiz looks ready to take on a free kick from range, but instead chips it towards Costa with the ball running straight out.
The tempo has indeed dropped over the past few minutes, pretty much for the first time all evening. Costa is penalised after going to ground too easily under a challenge from Reid, which is greeted by thousands of cheers.
CHELSEA SUB! Another of the big hitters on for Chelsea now - Hazard replacing Chalobah, who had an impressive enough first half but faded after the restart. Still a little under half-hour to go in East London.
A bizarre incident here, as Lanzini is given a standing ovation as he leaves the pitch - only to come straight back on. The official put the wrong number up, and we will now wait for that first Hammers change. Pedro also about to be introduced.
SUBS! The officials get it right this time, with Fernandes being replaced by Feghouli. Pedro is also brought on for the Blues' final change of the afternoon, replacing Aina as we enter the final 24 minutes of the contest.
The game has certainly not been as bright since that killer second goal from United, which will suit the hosts just fine. A case of seeing through the remainder now but, with Pedro, Costa and Hazard on the pitch, that is easier said than done.
Not far wide from Oscar at all, as he flicks on a corner at the front post which ends in the side-netting. West Ham struggling to find their attacking groove since edging two goals ahead in front of their vociferous supporters.
United battling for every ball in midfield at the moment, which the supporters are certainly enjoying. Chelsea being given little chance of finding a spell of pressure, with less than 20 minutes now left to play in this London derby.
Costa has really struggled since being brought on, with his latest touch going straight out for a goal kick. Hazard has been the brightest of the incoming trio, though even he is not having any real say on the match.
CHANCE! First real chance of the match since Fernandes's goal, as Costa picks out Willian in a real good position inside the box. Willian dragged his effort, though, sending it wide of the post to the dismay of his teammates.
YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the match is shown to Reid, who brought down Costa on the break. The Spaniard initially looked to have fallen over the ball, summing up his evening since coming on, but replays show that Reid did get a little touch beforehand.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB! A big moment for Andre Ayew, who is back in action a couple of months on from damaging his hamstring on his first league start for the Hammers. Lanzini this time the man to make way.
OFF THE BAR! Chelsea have finally managed to step things up a level. Cahill was denied a goal at the front post by Randolph, who has remained switched on right until the end here, while Hazard then blasted the ball onto the crossbar from the next attack.
WEST HAM UNITED SUB! Final change of the evening now, as Zaza is brought on in place of the tiring Antonio. The versatile Englishman has faded out of the game, with that change injecting more energy into this Hammers side.
Glorious cross from Payet towards the back post, but Ayew could not quite direct the ball goalwards with near enough his first touch since coming on. Ayew almost picked out Zaza with a superb flick in the next move, but Chelsea managed to recover.
CHANCE! Nine times out of 10 Costa scores this chance. Played through by Willian, with just Randolph to beat, the Spaniard dinks the ball into the side-netting. Cahill has now picked up an ankle injury but is OK to continue.
CLOSE! Terry flicks a header towards the far corner of the net, but it drops inches wide of the target. Luiz was there but couldn't make a telling touch, and that will likely be that with just added time to come at the end of this cup tie.
A case of knocking the ball around now for West Ham, having seen out that strong spell of Chelsea pressure. The Blues have had their chances but have failed to put any of them away, meaning no place in the last eight for them.
Disappointing scenes at the end of the game, as there is some trouble behind one of the goals in the closing stages. Plenty of security running across to help out, but that is not what you want to see after a fantastic cup tie. On the pitch, Payet blasts horribly wide from a good position.
GOAL! WEST HAM UNITED 2-1 CHELSEA (GARY CAHILL)
A poor goal for West Ham to concede right at the death, as the ball bounces around inside the box and Cahill is there to blast home his second goal in the same number of games. Surely no time for a comeback in the remaining seconds here?!
FULL TIME: WEST HAM UNITED 2-1 CHELSEA
That Cahill strike proved to be a mere consolation in the end, as referee Craig Pawson blew for full time right from kickoff. It was a deserved win for West Ham United overall, as they took their chances when they arrived - one in either half - and will now be in the hat for the last eight. Chelsea, on the other hand, must regroup after seeing their three-match winning run come to an end.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the London Stadium. Reaction is to follow over the next hour or so from tonight's EFL Cup ties, while an on-the-whistle report can also be found by clicking here. Thanks for joining!
