Carabao Cup 2017/18; Chelsea 2-1 Everton: Player Ratings
Goals from Antonio Rudiger and Willian helped Chelsea advance to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge.
The former Roma defender gave the Blues the lead in the opening period before Everton came on strong after the break. Willian looked to have settled things when he struck in second-half stoppage time, but an instant response from Dominic Calvert-Lewin set up a nervy finish.
Here's how the players rated on Wednesday night.
Chelsea
Willy Caballero - 8/10
Caballero made a number of good stops to deny Everton in the second half, including saves from Rooney and Jagielka. He did make a hash of a clearance which led to a good chance for the Toffees, but Caballero was generally solid.
Antonio Rudiger - 7/10
Rudiger opened the scoring with a looping header and was defensively solid for the most part, barring one or two questionable moments after the break.
Andreas Christensen - 7/10
Christensen was again assured in the heart of the three-man defence, reading the game well and passing the ball out from the back adeptly. Just like his team as a whole, the centre-back faded in the second half.
Gary Cahill - 6/10
Cahill looked a little uncomfortable on Wednesday, particularly when defending high up the ptich. He was central to Chelsea's build-up play at the back, though, making more passes than any of his team-mates.
Davide Zappacosta - 8/10
Zappacosta's rampaging runs and dangerous deliveries from the right flank were a key part of his team's attacking strategy. He was forced to do more defending in the second half but stood up to the task pretty well.
Ethan Ampadu - 8/10
The youngster looked composed and unflustered, showing a maturity belying his tender years. There were a couple of moments of naivety, but for the most part Ampadu was excellent.
Danny Drinkwater - 7/10
Making his long-awaited Chelsea debut following a summer move from Leicester, Drinkwater performed well. He used the ball smartly, switching the play from side to side, before departing after an hour.
Kenedy - 6/10
Kenedy looked a little tentative in an attacking sense, although he largely did his job defensively. It is still not clear whether he is suited to a left wing-back berth.
Willian - 7/10
Willian did not always use the ball well, but his counter-attacking pace was essential in the second half. He did brilliantly for his goal, collecting possession on the left, playing a one-two with Fabregas and firing home.
Michy Batshuayi - 6/10
Conte praised Batshuayi after this victory, but in truth, he had a mixed night. Some of his touches were loose and he should have done better with a chance in the second half, but his movement was much sharper than in his previous start against Crystal Palace.
Charly Musonda - 7/10
Musonda delivered a fine cross to the back post to set up Rudiger's headed goal. He had some other dangerous moments in the first half but struggled to get into the game in the second 45 minutes.
Substitutes:
Pedro - 6/10
Pedro provided another outlet on the counter-attack during his minutes on the pitch, as Chelsea tried to force Everton back into their own half.
Cesc Fabregas - 6/10
Fabregas did what was asked of him to an extent, helping Chelsea wrestle back a little bit of control in the closing stages. He was forced to defend as well as attack, though, and occasionally got bypassed in midfield.
Alvaro Morata - N/A
The striker came on with just five minutes left to play.