Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ALL GONE TO SPOT!
(AET) Chelsea struggle through but two see red and it’s painful for Conte
WILLY CABALLERO was the shoot-out hero as Chelsea booked a home clash against Newcastle.
Last year’s runners-up were taken to the limit by the Championship side before Caballero saved Nelson Oliveira’s penalty to crush Norwich’s resistance despite having Pedro and Alvaro Morata sent off.
The game appeared to be over thanks to Michy Batshuayi’s second-half goal but defender Jamal Lewis stunned Chelsea with a stoppage-time goal as Norwich took the Premier League champions to extra time.
The 19-year-old headed home with just 20 seconds left to leave Daniel Farke, his backroom staff and the Canaries’ fans delirious – and Blues boss Antonio Conte furious.
West Ham boss David Moyes was in the stands to run a personal check on Batshuayi, the man the Blues would be willing to trade for Andy Carroll.
The Belgian showed what he is capable of 10 minutes into the second half, sneaking into the six-yard box to tuck away Kenedy’s cross.
It will be quite something if Chelsea press ahead with another of their eye-catching transfer moves, trading a goalscorer who has regularly baled out Conte for a targetman who has struggled with injury.
Batshuayi was the man who spared Conte’s blushes at Atletico Madrid this season. His goal last season clinched the title at West Brom.
Yet Conte simply doesn’t fancy him. Any World Cup hopes Batshuayi has hinge on him getting fixed up soon.
The goal-drought for Chelsea, last season’s finalists, began in the first meeting between the sides at Carrow Road on January 6. Since then Chelsea failed to justify favouritism against Arsenal and Leicester, drawing two blanks.
Here they were awful. Yes, there were nine changes from the side held by the Foxes in the Premier League at the weekend.
Even after the goal Norwich winger Josh Murphy hit the post from inside the Chelsea box – not the first occasion the back door was left swinging open by the Blues.
Up front, Danny Drinkwater and Kenedy missed with opportunities inside the first 10 minutes.
Willian looked set to break the deadlock two minutes after that, ghosting into the Norwich box to meet Cesar Azpilicueta’s ball over the top.
But the Brazilian bizarrely volleyed wide with the keeper to beat.
Canaries keeper Angus Gunn held a free-kick from David Luiz comfortably in the 13th minute, then superbly pushed a screamer from Drinkwater onto the bar.
Kenedy was then lucky to escape without card after lashing out at Oliveira. The incident, right under the linesman’s nose, came after they had clashed on the touchline.