Chelsea travel to south London to face local rivals Crystal palace knowing they need all 3 points to climb back into Champions League places after Liverpool came from behind to beat Aston Villa 2-1 to record their first win at Anfield in 2021.
First Half
Early pressure from Chelsea, Jorginho flies a diagonal at Hudson – Odoi who lays it off for mount but he skies it. First real chance of the game, Mount is played in and he plays an early cross in for Pulisic who draws a save from Guaita, Palace doesn’t clear their lines, Havertz wins it back on the edge of the box, mount to Odoi who plays in Havertz and the German did the rest finding the bottom left corner. Chelsea lead.
The blues are rampant! Chilwell finds Havertz who cus it back for Pulisic, one-touch, bang into the top corner. Palace go 2 down inside the first 10 minutes. Chelsea goes close again. Jorginho plays a lofted through ball over the top to Havertz who flicks it over the defender and volleys towards goal drawing a magnificent low fingertip save from Guaita. Nice build-up play by Palace but ultimately broken down, Chelsea break, Kovacic plays a slide rule pass to Chilwell who skips past Kouyate but is brought down, Kouyate is booked. freekick, mount takes, Zouma rises highest and unopposed, it’s Palace 0-3 Chelsea on the half-hour mark.
It’s all Chelsea at the moment, brilliant build-up play by the blues, Mount finds Odoi who lays it back for him, first touch and his shot draws yet another save from the Palace Goalkeeper. Corner! Mount plays it in, Rudiger is up to head the ball and it’s cleared off the line by former Chelsea player Patrick Van Aanholt, almost a fourth! Halftime.
Second half.
Lovely build-up play again by Chelsea who are finding it easy to play out the back here, Jorginho with yet another lofted ball over for Odoi who drills it in on the volley, falls to Chilwell whose shot is just over the bar. 59′ Eze and Riedewald make way for Schlupp and McCarthy. 61′ Jorginho is replaced by Kante. Quick freekick and Chelsea are stretched, Jeffrey Schlupp with an instant impact as he drives towards the edge of the box and hangs in a cross for Benteke to head home.
First chance for Palace and a goal with their first shot on target. Lifeline or consolation goal? Kovacic to Pulisic who slides in a pass to Havertz but his low shot is no problem for Guaita. Chelsea come again, Kovacic to Mount, sets himself up for a shot but it’s over the bar. 76′ Townsend replaces Ayew, Odoi is off for Reece James. Pulisic’s second and Chelsea’s fourth! Mount feeds James who has an instant impact as his low cross is deflected but turned in at the back post by the American. Game, set and match. 83′ Ziyech replaces Kovacic. Havertz with yet another chance! Ziyech plays him in, but the german couldn’t finish it off.
No clean sheet for Edouard Mendy but a strong, commanding display in the London derby, it finished Crystal Palace 1-4 Chelsea.
