Football
ESPN staff 6y

Javier Hernandez can't explain fine goal scoring record against Chelsea

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez said he cannot explain his prolific scoring record against Chelsea after striking against them for the ninth time in his career on Sunday.

Hernandez's 73rd-minute equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw for West Ham and gave them a crucial point in their fight against relegation.

It was the first goal in nearly two months for the Mexico international, but his nine against Chelsea are the most he has scored against any opponent. Six have come as a substitute, while he has scored on his last four league appearances at Stamford Bridge.

Asked by Sky Sports what it was about playing against Chelsea that inspired him, Hernandez could only laugh. "This is a game -- it doesn't matter the result -- Chich is gonna score!" he said. "Nah, I'm joking, I'm joking!

"It's something that happens, sometimes you get -- I don't know, it's difficult to say that because I don't want to speak bad about them because that's part of football.

"Sometimes I cannot score against another team and sometimes I keep scoring, against Chelsea for example."

The goal brought Hernandez's tally this season to eight in the Premier League, in which he has started 16 games and come off the bench in nine, and he said he was hoping to make selection harder for manager David Moyes.

"It's not a decision of mine to start or not, but I make it difficult for him now," he added.

Hernandez had only been on the pitch for three minutes when he swept home to cancel out Cesar Azpilicueta's first-half opener and pull the Hammers six points clear of the relegation zone.

"This type of game is very difficult, you need to be very clever, very focused to try to stop a very good side like Chelsea," Hernandez said. "Thankfully we got one point. That gives you a lot of confidence to keep going and we have our next final against Stoke next week.

"The most important thing is we get one point and keep adding more points or big points to fight away from the relegation zone."

Hernandez also said he thought he could have scored a late winner, adding: "Yeah, definitely. It was one cross from Marko [Arnautovic] that I didn't run that probably, if I make that run, I could just tap in."

Goalkeeper Joe Hart praised Hernandez for returning from international duty with Mexico and getting fit to make an impact.

"Chich has come on, he's come back from the other side of the world last week for us, and he's been [injured] so I'm so glad that he's got fit for us and got that decisive goal," Hart said.

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