Chelsea 2-0 Sheffield United: 5 hits and flops as Palmer and Jackson scored apiece to down obdurate Blades | Premier League 2023-24
Chelsea overcame Sheffield United 2-0 in the Premier League on Saturday as goals from Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson secured all three points at the Stamford Bridge.
Coming into the match on the back of consecutive defeats, the Blues were eager to win this one, as the Blades were languishing at the foot of the table. Yet, it wasn't that easy.
Mauricio Pochettino's team kept a lion's share of possession in the opening stanza but struggled to pull it off in the final third. However, their persistence bore fruits early into the second half.
Palmer got on to the end of a cross from Sterling to put Chelsea 1-0 up. Just seven minutes later, he turned the provider to lay a cross for Jackson to turn home and bury the match.
Sheffield barely ever threatened Chelsea and ended with just one shot on target and 22 percent possession. They remain at the bottom of the table, while the Blues are up in 10th.
Here are the hits and flops from the match:
Hit: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Let's begin with the star of the evening! Cole Palmer was a revelation for Chelsea and was involved in both their goals for the evening, scoring one and assisting the other.
The 21-year-old was a thorn in Sheffield's flesh with his directness. He was rewarded in the 54th minute when he raced into the six-yard box to brilliantly connect with Raheem Sterling's cross.
Just seven minutes later, he turned the provider himself, by laying an inviting cross for Nicolas Jackson to finish from close range.
Palmer also finished with a 92 percent passing accuracy, but he was sloppy on the ball a few times, losing possession a total of 18 times in the game. The only sore note from an otherwise talismanic performance.
Flop: Oliver McBurnie (Sheffield United)
Coming into the game with just two goals under his belt, Oliver McBurnie was never going to threaten Chelsea, was he? But even by his standards, he cut a toothless figure in attack.
In 67 minutes of action, the 27-year-old completed only 10 passes and failed to muster a single shot in the match. Devoid of proper service, McBurnie was unable to exert his influence on the match in any meaningful way.
Hit: Benoit Badiashile (Chelsea)
What a calm, composed, and reassuring presence in defense! Benoit Badiashile might have just dropped his best performance in a Chelsea shirt, marshaling the defense with great aplomb and authority.
He read the game well and displayed excellent positioning as Badiashile was on hand to impede Sheffield's attacking plays. He made two clearances and interceptions each, while also jumping into four tackles. The 22-year-old's passing range was top-notch too, completing 118 of his 128 attempted passes.
Flop: Andre Brooks (Sheffield United)
Andre Brooks looked unsettled by Mykahylo Mudryk's pace in the opening stanza and was even penalized for a comical foul on the Ukrainian that ultimately left him in a heap.
He was also ineffective in stopping Raheem Sterling from making a cross in the buildup to Chelsea's opening goal. The 20-year-old attempted just nine passes in 58 minutes of action, completing four.
Hit: Conor Gallagher (Chelsea)
Chelsea's stand-in skipper, Conor Gallagher wasn't bogged down by the added responsibility of captaincy. In fact, he thrived in this role, putting up an energetic performance.
Gallagher pushed upfield at every given opportunity to build attacking spells and put pressure on Sheffield. He made two shots and one key pass. Defensively too, the Englishman made a telling impact with two blocked shots and four interceptions.