The events of Sunday at Stamford Bridge would be the first to hit the cutting room floor in an edit of the story of the season. An unnecessary scene, adding neither weight to the story of either protagonist or indeed the bigger picture.
Chelsea’s 1-0 win over West Ham was a reinforcing a position they have held in earnest since the reverse fixture defeat at the start of December. One they hold in ignominy having fallen out of the title race since that loss. Similarly, the Hammers, with status as a main player in the top eight confirmed, haven’t been all that concerned with Premier League form beyond a pre-cursor to a European adventure that has become what they are living for in the moment. They sang throughout the 90 minutes but most vociferously for a trip to Frankfurt on Thursday, 5 May.
