Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Kingsmeadow

Image source, Michael Emons

West Ham and boss Rehanne Skinner will be looking to end wretched runs against Chelsea this afternoon.

The former Tottenham manager took over at the Hammers in the summer and has enjoyed a good week with a deserved 2-0 win at Brighton on Sunday followed by a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against Championship side Charlton in the Continental League Cup on Wednesday.

But six-time WSL champions Chelsea are a completely different prospect.

Chelsea have won nine and drawn one of their 10 WSL games against West Ham, including winning the last eight, while Skinner has lost all six of her league matches against the Blues.

"Chelsea are a really difficult side to go up against. They find ways to get points and they find ways to grind out wins," said Skinner.

"We've got to be really resolute in the way we try and defend and make life as tough as possible for them, while also playing with confidence and bravery on the ball when we get those moments."

Image source, Michael Emons

Right, with Sam Kerr back in the starting lineup let's focus a bit more on the Chelsea striker.

She sat down with BBC Sport and revealed what's on her phone.

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Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Kingsmeadow

Image source, Michael Emons

Chelsea began their Women's Super League campaign with a 2-1 win against Tottenham in a home match played at Stamford Bridge in front of a crowd of 14,776.

Now, for the first time this season, it is back to their "other home" at Kingsmeadow.

"I like packed crowds so as long as it's full, I love it," said boss Emma Hayes.

"I'm also a bit old school so I love Kingsmeadow and I like the feeling of the crowd on top of you. From where I sit, I can see this section of our longest serving, most ardent fans singing their tunes.

"You can't hear that in the bigger stadiums but I for sure can hear it in Kingsmeadow. I love being there and it's our other home."

No wonder Hayes loves Kingsmeadow, as her side rarely lose there. Indeed, they have not lost in 25 WSL matches there since a 2-1 defeat by Brighton in a behind-closed-doors match on 7 February 2021.

That's part of an incredible 27-game unbeaten home streak in the WSL and their current run of 16 successive home league wins is a WSL record.

The Women's Super League has already provided plenty of excitement after its first two weekends, with shock results and two unlikely clubs leading the pack.

This evening Chelsea take on West Ham on Saturday in the weekend's opening game as they look to improve on last weekend's draw with Manchester City.

On Sunday - live on BBC One - Arsenal welcome Aston Villa to the Emirates, and Lionesses star Beth Mead could make her long-awaited homecoming.

Click here to read this weekend's Women's Super League talking points

Image source, Arsenal FC

Chelsea are unbeaten after their opening two Women's Super League games but there are two unlikely leaders at the top of the pack.

Leicester City and Liverpool both have maximum points, while three of the traditional heavyweights have all dropped two points.

West Ham have three points after winning last time out.

Will Chelsea bounce back from last weekend's draw or could the Irons record a surprise result?

Image source, AMA

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To say Chelsea's draw with Manchester City last time out was dramatic would be an understatement.

There were two red cards for the hosts - the first time a team had two players sent off since 2012 - and an injury-time equaliser to rescue a point for Chelsea.

You can watch how that one unfolded in the highlights below.

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Chelsea

This evening is a chance for Chelsea to build on their start to the season with the reintroduction of senior players, says boss Emma Hayes.

"We're unbeaten and that's what we'll build on," she said in her pre-match press conference.

"We've had another full week's training which we need, we need to build the connections an partnerships. We haven't had some senior players available from the start so I'm looking forward to building on a really good training week.

"Everybody knows playing at home an all the comforts of playing at home is always an advantage. We always focused hard on making that a fortress, a very tough place for the opponent to come.

"Many teams play in multiple formations in different phases of the pitch. For us it's looking at their patterns, how they look to build chances. We're prepared, we've done the analysis on them, and I know Rehanne Skinner's teams are always tough to beat and we'll have to work hard for a win."

It's not just Sam Kerr who's making her first start of the season today.

Fran Kirby is back in action.

Image source, Chelsea FC

Sam Kerr returns to the starting lineup for Chelsea this afternoon having been a half-time substitute last Sunday.

She's got an impressive record against West Ham.

Image source, AMA

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at Kingsmeadow

Image source, .

Chelsea are without injured pair Mia Fishel and Guro Reiten, who grabbed a 96th-minute equaliser against Manchester City on Sunday.

But what a duo to replace them as Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby both make their first starts of the season. For Kirby, it's a first start since she picked up a knee injury in February that kept her out of the Women's World Cup in the summer.

That's two of four changes from the side that began the 1-1 draw at Manchester City with Melanie Lupolz and Maren Mjelde also coming in for Erin Cuthbert and Jessie Fleming.

Chelsea XI: Musovic, Charles, Carter, Bright, Lawrence, Lupolz, Ingle, Mjelde, James, Kirby, Kerr.

Subs: Berger, Perisset, Cuthbert, Nusken, Fleming, Rytting Kaneryd, Cankovic, Buchanan, Beever-Jones.

Image source, .

West Ham make one change from the side that won 2-0 at Crawley against Brighton on Sunday in their last WSL match as Emma Harries comes in and Abbey-Leigh Stringer drops to the bench.

Since then, they beat Charlton 2-1 in the Continental League Cup, a game that did not feature Australia international goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, while Riko Ueki, who made one and scored one against Brighton, was only on the bench. Both return to the starting line-up today.

Defender Hawa Cissoko is set to make her 50th WSL appearance, becoming only the second French player to reach that landmark after former Hammers midfielder Kenza Dali, now at Aston Villa.

West Ham XI: Arnold, Smith, Cooke, Cissoko, Shimizu, Evans, Hayashi, Harries, Denton, Asseyi, Ueki.

Subs: Walsh, Atkinson, Filis, Flannery, Ademiluyi, Stringer, Tysiak.

It's time for some Saturday evening Women's Super League action.

There are five games taking place tomorrow but first it's the turn of Chelsea and West Ham to get the weekend kickstarted at Kingsmeadow.

Chelsea held Manchester City to a draw last time out while West Ham beat Brighton. Will the visitors be able to follow that up with an unexpected result?

We'll have coverage of how everything unfolds.

Let's start by seeing how the teams shape up for this one, shall we?

Image source, Reuters