Ben Chilwell gets goal and assist, Jorginho nets late penalty double as Chelsea ease past Palace
ByTNT Sports
Premier League, Stamford Bridge – Chelsea 4 (Chilwell 50’, Zouma 66’, Jorginho P 78’, P 82’) Crystal Palace 0
Ben Chilwell scored and assisted on his debut for Chelsea in the Premier League as Frank Lampard's side saw off a stubborn Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had been left frustrated after the first half ended goalless, but the full-back popped up in the right area to give the hosts a scrappy lead five minutes after the restart, capitalising on a poor Mamadou Sakho clearance.
Chilwell had impressed in Chelsea's Carabao Cup ties but had to be patient for his first league appearance following a heel injury.
And he made up for lost time as he set up Chelsea's second, with his cross inch-perfect for Kurt Zouma, who doubled Chelsea's advantage some 15 minutes later with an impressive header.
With confidence growing in the team, Jorginho put the hosts out of sight from the spot after Tammy Abraham was upended by Tyrick Mitchell. Just minutes later the Italian slotted another penalty home following Sakho's foul on Kai Havertz, after captain Cesar Azpilicueta diffused a situation between Abraham and the goalscorer, with the former desperate to take the spot-kick.
TALKING POINT - Chelsea remain a work in progress, despite convincing result
Frank Lampard had a plethora of dangerous forwards on the pitch and yet it was two goals from defenders and two penalties that won the game for Chelsea. It's a convincing result for the Blues, and yet it was far from a convincing attacking performance. Much of their play - particularly in the first half - was too predictable. They played with a low tempo, trying too many passes when a shot was the better option.
Eventually they found the break-through in scrappy fashion and the floodgates opened as Palace undone all of their resolute defensive work in the first half by committing mistake after mistake after the restart.
This new-look Chelsea side remains very much a work in progress. But one player who appears to have settled in quickly is Ben Chilwell. He was the game's standout player by some distance, always getting forward on the overlap and his deliveries proved deadly.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)
The 23-year-old already looks a much better option for Lampard than Marcos Alonso. He knows the Premier League inside out and has got up to speed with Chelsea remarkably quickly after his injury.
PLAYER RATINGS
Chelsea: Mendy 6, Azpilicueta 6, Zouma 7, Thiago Silva 7, Chilwell 9, Jorginho 8, Kante 6, Havertz 6, Hudson-Odoi 6, Abraham 6, Werner 6.. subs: Pulisic N/A, Kovacic N/A.
Crystal Palace: Guaita 6, Ward 5, Kouyate 5, Sakho 4, Mitchell 5, McCarthy 5, MacArthur 5, Eze 5, Townsend 5, Zaha 5, Ayew 5.. subs: Riedelewald 5, Milivojevic 5.
KEY MOMENTS
50' - GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Crystal Palace (Chilwell): Chilwell scores on his Premier League debut for Chelsea! It's a scrappy goal, but Lampard won't care one bit! Not one but two shots are blocked inside the box but Sakho fails to clear his lines, Abraham keeps it alive with a knock on and Chilwell blasts Chelsea ahead!
66’ - GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Crystal Palace (Zouma): Zouma pops up with his second goal of the campaign to give Chelsea some breathing space! Chilwell is involved again, too! The full-back's corner is headed clear, but Chelsea keep possession and Hudson-Odoi switches it back to Chilwell. And his cross is inch-perfect for Zouma, who towers above Sakho and heads it into the top corner!
78' - GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Crystal Palace (Jorginho, pen): Job done for Chelsea! A little skip from Jorginho in the build-up and he sends Guaita the wrong way with a confident penalty.
82’ - GOAL! Chelsea 4-0 Crystal Palace (Jorginho): Was it ever in doubt? Jorginho, who won an argument with Abraham to take the penalty, slots it home for Chelsea's fourth!
KEY STATS
- There have been multiple penalties awarded in six of the 29 Premier League games so far this season, more than there were in all 380 matches last term (5).
- Jorginho has scored 10 of his 11 penalties for Chelsea in all competitions, missing only versus Liverpool in September.
- Ben Chilwell is just the third player to both score and assist a goal on their Premier League debut for Chelsea, after Deco in August 2008 and Alvaro Morata in August 2017.
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