Sheffield United 1-2 Chelsea: Player ratings as the Blues move up to fifth on the table
Chelsea’s unbeaten run under newly appointed head coach Thomas Tuchel was extended to four matches as they grabbed a comfortable victory against Sheffield United.
Goals from Mason Mount and Jorginho were enough to hand the Blues a 2-1 victory against Chris Wilder’s relegation-threatened Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
This is Chelsea’s third away win in four games since Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard. The win propelled Chelsea up to fifth on the Premier League table.
The Blues are now just one point behind struggling Liverpool, who are currently fourth.
Mason Mount opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 43rd minute after receiving a brilliant cut-back from Timo Werner. Chelsea went into the break with a slender 1-0 advantage.
Sheffield United were lucky to find themselves back in the game when Antonio Rudiger mistakenly tapped the ball past an onrushing Edouard Mendy to score an own goal in the 54th minute.
Chelsea quickly responded thanks to Timo Werner as he pounced on a loose pass and glided into the box before being hacked down by Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
Jorginho calmly slotted the penalty into the back of the net to give the Blues a well deserved 2-1 victory.
Here's how Chelsea players performed in the match.
Chelsea Player Ratings
Edouard Mendy: 6/10
Mendy made a few dangerous passes as Chelsea tried to play out from the back.
While he had little or nothing to do in the game, miscommunication between him and central defender Rudiger resulted in an own goal.
However, he made a brilliant stop to deny Billy Sharp’s acrobatic last-gasp effort.
Antonio Rudiger: 6.5/10
Bar his horrific own-goal, Rudiger was simply outstanding at the heart of the Chelsea defense. He finished with three clearances, two blocks and two tackles, and even joined in the attack, sending several shots at goal in the first half.
Andreas Christensen: 7/10
Christensen came into the Chelsea XI for the injured Thiago Silva and was the best defender of the evening.
He comfortably held his ground against Sheffield striker Oliver McBurnie, finishing with three clearances, one interception and one block.
He was quick to snuff out any danger in his own half and was not at fault for the Blade’s equalizer.
Cesar Azpilicueta: 6.5/10
A slow start for the Chelsea captain, as he barely had anything to do defensively on the right flank in the first half. He made an error in the first minute of the game which Oliver Burke pounced on, but the Sheffield man drove his shot into the side netting.
Jorginho: 8/10
With the return of the hop, skip and jump, Jorginho calmly slotted home his penalty to give Chelsea a deserved lead after a foul on Timo Werner by Ramsdale.
He kept play ticking from the midfield, dictating the pace and tempo for Chelsea.
Mateo Kovacic: 7/10
Kovacic was one of Chelsea’s best players on the pitch, continuing his great run of form since the appointment of Thomas Tuchel.
The Croatian constantly drove forward with the ball, supporting the attack. He did well to set up Timo Werner in the first half.
Ben Chilwell: 6.5/10
Chilwell, making a return to the Chelsea starting XI, put in an industrious shift. He sent a perfectly weighted pass to Werner at the byline, which led to Chelsea’s opener. He was replaced by Marcos Alonso in the 62nd minute.
Reece James: 7/10
The Chelsea academy player seems to have cemented his place in the starting line-up after making his first start under Tuchel last time out. He was reliable in both attack and defense all game, constantly winning balls at the back and driving forward to support the forwards.
Timo Werner: 8/10
An absolutely electrifying performance from Chelsea’s striker, Timo Werner constantly ran at the Sheffield defence, beating the offside trap with his speed and winning important fouls.
Werner almost grabbed his first goal in thirteen Premier League games, however, he was denied by Basham's brilliant block.
He neatly set up Mason Mount with a cut-back from the byline for the opener.
Minutes after Chelsea conceded, his quick burst of pace after stealing a loose pass from the Sheffield defence won the visitors a second-half penalty.
Olivier Giroud: 5.5/10
Giroud struggled to keep up with Sheffield United’s high press and towering centre-backs, as he failed to contribute much on the night. He was a mere spectator until he was taken off for Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Mason Mount: 8/10
A star man for Chelsea on the night, Mason Mount was all over the pitch. He made his presence felt on every inch of the Bramall Lane turf as he relentlessly chased the ball at every opportunity.
His doggedness to win the ball back was vital for the Blues.
Mount opened the scoring for Chelsea with a powerful low drive into the right-bottom corner. A classy outing from the academy graduate.
Chelsea substitutes' ratings
Callum Hudson-Odoi: 5/10
An uncharacteristically quiet night from the Englishman.While he ran at the Sheffield defence quite diligently, he lacked the killer pass to produce anything meaningful for the Blues.
Marcos Alonso: 5/10
Marcos Alonso replaced left-back Ben Chilwell in the 75th minute but failed to have any telling impact on the game.
N'Golo Kante: 6/10
The midfielder was brought on to provide cover for the Chelsea backline and he did just that.