Chelsea somehow managed to squeeze past Crystal Palace to pick up three crucial points meaning they have managed to open up a seven-point gap for the third spot.
The Blues were coming into this game at the back of winning the Club World Cup but this performance was nowhere close to one which is expected from the best club in the world.
Palace went toe-to-toe with the visitors and in the end, it was an 89th-minute winner from Hakim Ziyech which helped tilt the tie in favour of Chelsea. Obviously, the performance was really poor from Chelsea but Thomas Tuchel won’t be worried too much since, in the end, his side managed to pick up all three points.
Having said that, the Blues will need to up their game considerably if they wish to hold onto a Champions League spot or they want to pick up another silverware this season. Next up, they take on Lille in the Champions League and then it’s the League Cup final vs Liverpool. If they play a similar unpolished and lack-lustre football in these games then there will be only one result.
Chelsea players rating vs Crystal Palace:
Edouard Mendy: 6.8/10
Mendy’s distribution was not great because only 50% of his long balls found their target. Otherwise, Palace didn’t do too much to trouble him.
Thiago Silva: 7.5/10
The experienced pro was on point once again, making one block and four clearances.
Rudiger: 7.4/10
The German was playing beside Silva in a 4-3-3 system and he too had a good outing. He made two clearances along with six recoveries.
A true wizard! 🧙♂️#CryChe pic.twitter.com/wWJJ45wHVZ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 19, 2022
Sarr: 7.4/10
With Ben Chilwell missing and Alonso being rested, Malang Sarr played as the left full-back. The 23-year-old was stable both in defence as well as in attack.
Christensen: 7.2/10
Christensen was the right-back on Saturday and he had 75 touches during his 90 minutes on the pitch, making one key pass.
N’Golo Kante: 6.8/10
Kante and Joringho both started in midfield but the Frenchman was taken off in the 74th minute as Thomas Tuchel wanted to add a more attacking dimension to his midfield.
Jorginho: 7.2/10
The Italian had the captain’s armband on Saturday but he had a pretty muted game. Only 20% of his long passes were accurate and in the defensive areas, he won only two of his five tackles.
Pulisic: 7.6/10
Pulisic played as the third midfielder but a change in shape meant the American international moved further up the pitch once Mateo Kovacic came on in the second half.
Havertz: 6.4/10
After his CWC outing, Kai Havertz was a guaranteed starter but the German gave a really average performance winning only four of the 15 duels he contested and he was disposed four times.
Chelsea rep their Club World Cup badge for the first time 🏆 pic.twitter.com/uqvJW8X2ux
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 19, 2022
Romelu Lukaku: 6.2/10
Lukaku got the nod ahead of Timo Werner but the Belgian went missing for most of the game. He had an xG of only 0.06 and he did not even have a single shot on target.
Ziyech: 8.4/10
Ziyech was the saviour for Chelsea at Selhurst Park as he scored the 89th-minute goal that helped secure all three points for Tuchel’s side. No other stats matter.
Substitutes:
Marcos Alonso: 7.2/10
Alonso came on in the 74th minute and he was the one who assisted Ziyech for the late winner.
Mateo Kovacic: 7.4/10
Kovacic replaced N’Golo Kante in midfield but he did not do anything noteworthy.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek: 6/10
The England international had only eight touches in the attacking areas.
