‘Switched-on’ Chelsea pass another big test
Frank Lampard had revealed some superstitious reservations about his first manager-of-the-month award, but he has little to fear from any unlucky omens while his young Chelsea side continue to display this heady mixture of verve and maturity.
It was Chelsea’s sixth successive league victory, meaning they are now on their best run since Antonio Conte’s title-winning side lorded it in the spring of 2017. And if an obdurate Crystal Palace side refused to subside easily, Lampard’s team again showed a range of qualities to pass another big test and move into, at least temporarily, second place in the table.
Tammy Abraham registered his 11th goal of the campaign to give Chelsea the breakthrough early in the second half and another victory was assured when Christian Pulisic scored in his third league outing in a row.
Lampard, who referred to the “curse” of the manager-of-the-month award after collecting the accolade for October, said: “We came out for the second half with intent, an extra 10 per cent of urgency and we won the game relatively comfortably. It was a nice, solid win with a clean sheet.
“A few teams have come here and been difficult to break down. It is a test for us not only on how to unlock the door but also how to stay switched on and not fall for the sucker punch. I was delighted with the game management.”
Chelsea had recovered from three to grab a 4-4 Champions League draw with Ajax three nights earlier and the impetus of that revival launched them into a rapid start in yesterday’s lunchtime kick-off.
Palace were manning the barricades from the opening whistle as eager Chelsea poured forward. Vicente Guaita, the Palace goalkeeper, distinguished himself by smothering Pulisic’s angled shot after the American had been picked out by a sweeping pass from Willian, who then went close with a 14th-minute free-kick.
Willian was at the heart of Chelsea’s hub of activity, creating but also covering, and collecting a yellow card from referee Mike Dean for a tactical foul on Jordan Ayew. And then there was Mason Mount, who had limped out of the Ajax match with an ankle injury but who was constantly probing for a way through the visitors’ defence.
Yet Palace have a resilience about them. Roy Hodgson’s side are built to absorb pressure and then hit on the break. Their defensive rock was Gary Cahill, the former Chelsea captain warmly welcomed back at Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving the club with whom he won eight major trophies across seven years.
It was Cahill who got the crucial deflection, just as Dean prepared to blow the whistle for half-time, to Willian’s goalbound shot from Reece James’s dangerous low cross from the right. Chelsea had arrived at the midway point of their past two home league matches with the game goalless before going on to victory, so Stamford Bridge knows the value of patience, but there was not long to wait.
Palace had been penned in their own half from the restart and Chelsea needed just seven minutes to manufacture the breakthrough, Willian’s touch forward finding the just-onside Abraham, who dispatched from eight yards. Chelsea might have added a second but Guaita reached out to push away Pulisic’s powerful drive. It marked a turning point. Suddenly it was Palace who pushed forward, Cheikhou Kouyate beginning to impose himself in the middle of the park, Wilfried Zaha starting to open up the left flank.
It could have been a nervous finale, but Chelsea displayed a measure of containment before snuffing out the Palace uprising after 79 minutes when Pulisic headed in from close range.
Roy Hodgson, the Palace manager who was taking charge of his 300th Premier League match, said: “The second goal was unfortunate. We were starting to grow into the game but after that it was difficult for us. But I have nothing to reproach the team for.”
Lampard can now contemplate a trip to Manchester City the weekend after next. Chelsea look ready for their next big test.