In the final game of the day on Sunday, Chelsea faced an improving Sheffield United side at Bramall Lane and claimed a 2-1 victory.
The streak of wins has now extended to three for Thomas Tuchel and the Blues, following the previous wins against Burnley and Tottenham. This result takes Chelsea up to fifth place in the table, just a point off that much wanted top-four spot.
With teams slipping up around them this weekend, three points were needed and there were some star performers:
Edouard Mendy
The Senegalese goalkeeper had another solid showing today and cannot really be blamed for the goal that we conceded. He made some good saves, with the most noticeable occurring in the last moments in the game when he parried out Billy Sharp’s overhead kick. Rating – 7
Cesar Azpilicueta
Was not quite the same level of performance that he managed against Burnley last weekend, but it was a decent performance from the skipper. He did not shine as one of the better players today and has definitely had much better games. Rating – 6.5
Andreas Christensen
After being substituted into the midweek game against Tottenham after Thiago Silva’s injury, Christensen kept his spot at centre-back today. He put in a good shift once again, and kept things tidy at the back. Out of the central defenders he was the best on the pitch for me today, he passed the ball about well and did some good work defensively. Rating – 7
Antonio Rudiger
Having played every game under Tuchel so far, it was no surprise to see Rudiger start once again today. Despite having an all-round good game, he showed us all why we do not necessarily trust him at the back. The own goal today was quite remarkable, and he is the type of player who always seems to have a mistake in him, hopefully we do not see this kind of thing repeated because overall it was a decent performance. Rating – 6.5
Ben Chilwell
After missing out on starting in the past couple of games due to Tuchel opting for Alonso over him, today was an opportunity for Chilwell to prove himself to the new manager, he did not really manage much though. It was a solid performance, but he did not offer that much today, he had a very bright start to the season so hopefully he can get back to that kind of form. Rating – 6.5
Jorginho
Once again, Jorginho was the man to provide the winning goal for us, converting from the spot in back-to-back games. We all know when he plays, the game does slow down, but he distributed well and did score that vital goal, so not too many complaints can be made. Rating – 7
Mateo Kovacic
Kovacic has been delightful to watch recently, and he had another good game today. He is constantly involved in pushing us up the pitch and is a fantastic box-to-box midfielder. Tuchel clearly has a lot of faith in him and that is why he has started every game Tuchel has managed so far. If kovacic could work on his performance in the final third he would be argued to be one of the most complete midfielders out there. Rating – 7.5
Reece James
He may not have started in either of Tuchel’s first two games, but James is certainly starting to find his feet under the new boss. He performed well against Tottenham and retained his spot today. As much as Callum Hudson-Odoi looked great in the wing-back role, James is also a great player there. Rating – 7.5
Mason Mount
Similarly to Reece James, Mount was not included from the start under Tuchel, but he has performed amazingly so far and is making himself undroppable. The goal he scored required great composure and put us into a great position before the break. His role in this team simply continues to grow, and the future is extremely bright. Rating – 8
Timo Werner
He may not of got a goal tonight, but Timo Werner put in a top performance tonight. The cutback assist he provided for Mount’s goal was superb, and of course he earned us a penalty. That makes it seven penalties earned by him this season. As soon as he scores that goal he desperately needs Werner will make himself an even bigger threat to the opposition. Rating – 8
Olivier Giroud
The Frenchman can be considered one of the most reliable players in the Premier League, but today he seemed unable to get anything going. He did not get much service and he could not make his presence felt against a physically strong team. Rating 5
Substitutes: Marcos Alonso – 6.5, Hudson-Odoi 7, N’Golo Kante 6.5.
The momentum at Chelsea will continue to build off this result, taking ten points from a possible twelve in their last four. With the next league game coming against a struggling Newcastle team, and a cup clash against Barnsley on Thursday, Chelsea will hope to add to their successful streak.